The topic of fire safety is no longer limited to public utility buildings, schools, kindergartens and other institutions, because it is also often discussed in the context of single-family homes. How to choose the right system for your home?
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What fire safety regulations must a single-family home meet?
According to the provisions of the applicable law, the principles that must be maintained in order for a single-family house to meet basic fire safety standards are specified. Detailed principles are included in the Fire Protection Act of 24 August 1991. It is worth emphasizing that fire protection should be considered already at the stage of project execution, and not only during construction. The second important document is the Regulation of the Minister of Internal Affairs and Administration of 7 June 2010 on fire protection of buildings and other construction objects.
The method of fire protection depends primarily on the established risk category. According to the regulation of the Minister of Infrastructure of 12 April 2002, there are V groups, and each of them is assigned specific types of buildings, according to the level of fire risk. Single-family and multi-family houses are classified in the ZLIV group.
For single-family houses, fire safety regulations are definitely less restrictive than in the case of public utility buildings, but it is worth being aware that the safety of the people staying in the house will depend on the choices made. Although the law does not impose an obligation to install a fire protection system , including appropriate smoke or gas detectors, more and more people decide to install them.
When building a single-family house, however, it should be remembered that it is necessary to maintain an appropriate distance from neighbouring buildings, which is 6 m or 8 m, depending on whether the walls of the buildings opposite each other have openings (windows, doors) or not.
Another issue concerning fire safety in single-family homes is the selection of building materials that will properly protect against the spread of fire. Fire resistance can be determined for walls, roofs and ceilings. When building single-family terraced houses, the investor, when making walls between successive segments, must ensure that these are walls with a high degree of resistance.
Special attention should be paid to the installation in the house. It is a potential source of fire, so high-quality materials should be used to make it. The condition of the installation should be assessed regularly and any problems should be repaired immediately.
The second important point from the point of view of fire protection is the heating system used in the house. Depending on whether it is a central heating furnace, heat pump, photovoltaics, fireplace or other solutions, they must always have appropriate certificates and meet specific standards. Each heating installation must be installed and used in accordance with the instructions provided by the manufacturer.
In homes, there must also be a properly designed, constructed and, importantly, properly functioning ventilation system. This is a topic that should be considered together with heating. Especially if the home has gas heating.
What fire alarm system should a home be equipped with for safety?
A single-family home should also be equipped with a fire alarm system to ensure maximum safety for everyone. Fire protection and fire protection include special detectors and signaling devices.
The fire alarm system consists of three main elements:
- the alarm control panel, which is responsible for obtaining information from the sensors and, in the event of a fire being detected, transmits appropriate signals to the alarm device;
- signalling device - its role is to warn residents when it receives information about a threat from the control panel, depending on the model, it can emit only sound or use sound and light;
- Gas and smoke detectors , which are placed in specific places in the house, transmit appropriate information to the control panel when they detect a threat.
These components work closely together, sending information and warning about fire hazards. For the system to work effectively, there must be various types of sensors in the house, including: gas, carbon monoxide and thermal sensors. It is good if the whole thing is also equipped with a flood sensor. Its role is to detect flooding, because water could short circuit the electrical installation and cause a fire. Additionally, the control panel must be equipped with a special GSM sensor so that it can send notifications to phones.
When preparing a fire protection system for your home, remember to equip it with an additional battery power supply.
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Basic functions of SAP/SSP systems
SAP, or Fire Alarm System and SSP, or Signaling and Smoke Extraction System, their combination allows for maximum protection. SAP fire protection systems are advanced solutions that allow for:
- fire detection thanks to smoke and heat sensors appropriately placed inside the building;
- alarming - depending on the model, sound or light signals, or sound and light signals, may be emitted;
- notification of emergency services, the system reacts faster than a human, by sending a notification directly to the services it can speed up their arrival at the scene;
- access control, this function is particularly useful in public buildings, where appropriate signals will automatically unlock fire doors;
- ventilation management, which helps limit the spread of smoke;
- event logging, SAP enables the recording of data related to the fire alarm.
The SSP system, on the other hand, plays a slightly different role. Its basic tasks include:
- smoke removal from rooms - helps control the operation of ventilation systems, smoke flaps and smoke extraction fans;
- evacuation - allows for effective support of evacuation by removing smoke from evacuation routes;
- air quality monitoring, including smoke concentration control, the data obtained allow for the effective operation of the entire system.
The SSP system must always be synchronized with the functioning SAP system to ensure optimal safety for people inside the building. Fire alarm systems are used in many facilities, and if well-matched, they can also be used in single-family housing. Properly matched switchboards and cabinets, fire protection box housings may be necessary for proper installation of fire protection system components. It is best to leave the selection of appropriate solutions to specialists.
What audio alarm system is worth investing in for your home?
Fire protection systems in the home are not just smoke detectors, but an entire system that is supposed to work properly when the threat of fire is real. It helps to start evacuation faster. While public buildings have appropriate installations, in a single-family home they do not always. A notification system is reliable and an investment in your own safety.
The alarm systems currently used not only warn of the threat of fire, but also help to spread it. Depending on the type, these can be simple installations, or those using more advanced sensors. An interesting solution is the possibility of integrating two systems - an alarm system that protects against burglary and theft, and fire protection. Such a solution allows for increased efficiency and simultaneous protection of property and people in the house. Comprehensive threat prevention is an opportunity worth using.
Modern solutions use verbal communication, informing residents about the nature of the threat and its location. Well designed and distributed in the property, due to their functions, they support fire extinguishing and evacuation of people from a burning building.
Is it worth investing in smoke extraction systems for a single-family home?
Investing in a fire protection system is ensuring maximum protection for people and property. Sensors located in rooms such as kitchens, bathrooms or boiler rooms mean that they can be monitored and if something happens, the management system informs the services and limits the spread of fire. Onninen's offer includes only high-quality, proven and effective installations and sensors. All products have the appropriate approvals and certificates confirming the safety of the property using the solution. An example is the heart of the entire system, the Gazex Md-2.ZA fire protection system control unit . This small-sized solution works perfectly and is appreciated by professionals.
Depending on the needs of the facility, appropriate sensors must be installed in the rooms. Where natural gas is used, methane gas detectors in an aluminum housing will be necessary. The Gazex DEX-12/N methane gas detector in an aluminum housing is a model dedicated to gas boiler rooms. It is worth noting that different detectors are used to detect methane, and others for propane-butane, such as the Gazex DEX-15/N-10/30 propane-butane detector . Each of them has been designed in a way that allows for maximum safety in the event of fire. Therefore, the design of the installation must take into account individual needs.