Every business owner wants to make sure that their company and their employees are always safe and protected. The statistic shows that in the US alone, there are almost 40 thousand fires each year in manufacturing facilities that result in more than one billion dollars of property damages and countless numbers of injuries and deaths. If you want to protect your place from fires, then you need to invest in a smoke detector system.
In this article, we are going to give you some tips on how you can choose the best system for your business, and we will give you advice on what you should pay attention to before you make the final decision.
1. Different types
The first thing you should know is that there are several different types of smoke detectors, and depending on your needs, you need to choose the right one. The most popular types nowadays are the ionization and photoelectric models. The former is the most affordable one, but they don’t work well if install them near a source of fumes because they will go off even when there is no fire nearby. The latter is best for places where there is a risk of slow-burning fires and they can detect anything from faulty wires up to cigarette smoke. They use light to notice the fumes, so, if you work in a place where there are a lot of dust particles that can go into the device, this is not the right model for you.
The heat detecting units are great for places that don’t produce too big of heat, but they are not as practical for places where there is a production process or high temperatures. The optical models work by introducing infrared lights, and with them, they detect the smoke and the fumes. You can also choose the way the device is powered, so make sure you consider all the models and additional features before you choose the right one for your company.
2. Size of the space
Now let’s consider the size of your space and how many devices you would need to keep your company secure. If you need to secure separate offices, then you would not need more than one device per room, however, if we are talking about a large factory or a place where several offices are combined, then you may need to install more than one unit.
Remember that you can choose a system where all the devices are connected, and in case one of them detects the fire, or even just the fumes, they will all sound off. This may help with everyone evacuating the building on time, and it will save you a lot of time and trouble.
Talk with the seller or the manufacturer about the size one unit protects and how many devices you would need to install depending on the factory itself.
3. How is the device powered?
On the market, you can find different models of smoke detectors that are powered in a different way. According to X-Sense, you can choose a smoke alarm that comes with built-in lithium batteries, or you can choose one with replaceable batteries. Most of the units on the market come with 9-volt, AA, or AAA cells, but all of these need to be replaced once in a while. When choosing the right type for your company, you should talk to the seller about how often you should replace the cells, and if they offer a warranty.
Note that in some cases, you can choose devices that are hard-wired, which means that they don’t use batteries, but they are connected to a power supply or are connected to the current of the household or the place of business. There are some advantages and disadvantages to all the different types of power, and you need to make sure that if you choose units that come with batteries, you will need to test them once in a while and make sure they are working properly.
4. Maintenance
The maintenance makes a huge difference in the way the devices work, and if you don’t maintain them regularly, they may sound off by mistake, and with that slow down the whole production process, or they may not notice the fumes on time, and with that, risk the safety of everyone that is part of the company.
If you work in a production process, and if there are a lot of dust particles and debris, then you will need to clean these units at least once every week. However, you can talk to the seller and the service company about installing an additional cover on the devices, that will not interfere with the way they function, but they will also protect them from the dust.
Keep the maintenance in mind when choosing the right model for you, and know that no matter what you additionally install, you will need to check and test them at least once in a while to make sure they are working properly.
5. Consider your specific situation
Did you know that depending on your company and the needs of your business, you can choose alarms with additional features? For example, if you work in the production process, and it is always noisy in your factory, you can choose devices that will either sound louder, or they can show visual signals so that all of your employees can notice the siren on time.
You can also choose a device that comes with a monitoring system, and you won’t have to worry about the safety of your property no matter the working hours. Note that in some cases, the system can notify the authorities automatically, and you should talk to the seller or service provider about the features you can get when you install the system. You should be able to turn this feature on or off, depending on your needs and on the open hours.
Note that you should also check to see if you can safely turn the units off without disconnecting them, and what you need to do to finish the maintenance process with ease. You should also check to see how often you need to test if the units are working properly, and of course, how often you need to replace the batteries.
All of these things will help you keep your company and your employees safe, and you will be able to react as soon as something happens. Investing in smoke detector systems will make the difference between you possibly losing your business, and knowing that everything is safe and secure no matter what time of day it is.
Nina Smith 
Kim Marks