Last year, 1,353,500 fires made their way into homes and buildings across the United States. Fire safety is no joke, and we can’t stress the importance of education around this topic enough.
While fire alarms and smoke detectors can do a tremendous job of encouraging suppression techniques and evacuation, most people use them interchangeably when talking about fire safety. But there’s quite a difference between the two. So, let’s explore how they’re unique from one another.
Fire alarm vs smoke detector: An introduction
If you think a fire alarm is the same as a smoke detector, you’re like most Americans who fall guilty of mistaking these two safety devices to be the same. While they’re both fire safety equipment, they’re pretty different. A fire alarm is a comprehensive system of devices and sensors that work together to increase fire safety and take remedial measures should a blazing disaster strike. On the other hand, a smoke detector is one component of a fire alarm system. And it is what it sounds like– a device that detects smoke in the surrounding area.
To help you understand the difference between these two technologies, we’ll use the analogy of an alarm clock. Alarm clocks today have many different functions. Not only do they wake you up so you’re not late to work, but they can also play the radio, tell you the weather, work as a night light, and have music streaming abilities. All these features put together make up an alarm clock in the same way that fire safety sensors and devices make up a fire alarm system.
The part of the alarm clock that detects when it’s time to get out of bed is like a smoke detector. This is because a smoke detector is the part of a fire alarm that detects smoke particles in the air. It’s one function of a fire alarm system, just as the loud beeping that tells you to start your day is one function of an alarm clock system.
Make sense? Let’s explore the difference between a fire alarm vs a smoke detector further.
Fire alarm vs smoke detector: How they sense a fire
Every fire alarm is activated by a smoke detector. Thus, a fire alarm cannot function in the absence of a smoke detector. Just like how your alarm clock wouldn’t work if it didn’t have a feature that detected when the clock struck your set wake-up time. Fire alarms need to have a feature that tells them when an irregular amount of smoke is present so they can start taking action.
This is why the question, “what does a fire alarm detect?” can be a little tricky. You might be thinking…well, don’t fire alarms detect smoke? But it’s not that simple. A fire alarm system has different technologies that can sense a blaze through smoke, heat, or carbon monoxide detection. But the fire alarm itself cannot detect smoke; it can only sound a widespread alarm once its smoke-detecting component is triggered.
In terms of “what does a smoke alarm detect,” we know the answer is straightforward since it’s literally in the name: Smoke. So, a fire alarm knows there’s a fire when its smoke detector gets activated. But how does the smoke detector itself get activated? We need to dig a little deeper to answer this one.
A smoke detector has internal components that are designed to sense minute smoke particles. These internal components will either involve safely shielded radioactive material that electrically charges or a light beam inside of a sensing chamber. The specific detection technology depends on which type of smoke detector you’re working with. We’ll discuss this further in a bit.
But first, let’s talk about where fire alarms and smoke detectors are commonly placed.
Fire alarm vs smoke detector: Where you see them
Fire alarm systems are designed so their sounds can be heard by everyone in a large building. Thus, you’ll see fire alarms in schools, malls, hospitals, apartment complexes, and business offices. In fact, they’re legally required to be set up in expansive interior spaces so everyone can be efficiently alerted in the case of a flaming event.
While it’s not common to have one installed in your house, there are fire alarm systems for homes that are larger estates, such as mansions or luxury vacation homes.
Smoke-detecting devices are designed so their sounds can be heard by a few occupants. This is why you’ll see them in single-family homes. It’s recommended that you install a smoke detector on every level of your house– paying extra attention to the bedrooms and kitchen.
Now, remember, you may still see a smoke detector in an apartment building or a movie theater. But, the difference between smoke detectors in buildings compared to homes is that the detectors in large buildings are part of a serious fire alarm system. Whereas the detectors you see in your aunt’s 2-story house function alone. This is because a smoke detector can function without a fire alarm, but a fire alarm cannot function without a smoke detector since it needs something to trigger its alarm.
Fire alarm vs smoke detector: Are there different types of each?
When talking about a smoke detector vs a fire alarm, we need to go over the different kinds there are on the market. Fire alarm systems can be distinguished by their features, while smoke detectors can be distinguished by their detecting technology.
We’ll go over different options for fire alarms first.
Fire alarm features
One of the biggest differences between a fire alarm vs a smoke detector is that fire alarms have a variety of components. Fire alarm systems do more than just sense smoke and sound an alarm. They also have features that encourage swift action to extinguish the flames and evacuation to safety.
Some types of fire alarm systems have a sprinkler feature that serves as a suppression remedy by activating ceiling water sprinklers. The sprinklers are automatically triggered once smoke particles reach high levels. A fire alarm system can also have a fire alarm box which is a pull-down mechanism inside of a glass box that sends a fire alert to local authorities. You’ll usually see these glass boxes in schools or office buildings.
Depending on the type of system you have, your fire alarm may also come with alternate warning signals. For example, it may give off visual alerts, like bright flashing lights, to notify those who are visually impaired.
Types of smoke detectors
Another difference between a fire alarm vs a smoke detector is that smoke detectors are differentiated by their detecting technologies. We briefly mentioned this earlier, but now we’ll dive into what these different technologies are and how they work to detect smoke.
Photoelectric
A photoelectric smoke detector uses a light beam and a sensing chamber to detect smoke. As smoke and soot particles travel into the device, they cover the light beam which obstructs it from properly hitting the detector. This is what causes the detector to sound an alarm.
Ionization
The ionization smoke detector features internal components that use a chamber with two metal plates. Both plates are made of minutely radioactive material that’s safely shielded. So, how does this work to detect a fire?
Well, the two plates constantly generate a small electrical current that reduces when smoke particles enter the ionized airspace between the plates. When the electrical current is reduced, an alarm goes off.
Fire alarms vs smoke detectors: Setting them up
Putting a fire alarm system together isn’t a typical DIY project. So, you should have a professional technician do the installation to make sure your fire alarm is wired correctly so each smoke detector can effectively activate it.
Conversely, smoke detectors are a bit easier to install. If they’re battery-operated, it won’t be rocket science to place them around your home. But if they’re wired into your house’s electrical grid, you might want to call a professional for help.
A final word on fire alarms vs smoke detectors
Now that you have a better sense of the difference between a fire alarm vs a smoke detector, you can successfully determine which one you need for your home or place of work. And, the next time your coworker mixes up these fire safety devices, you’ll be able to give them a proper fire safety lesson!