FAQ | Heat Alarms

How do heat alarms work?

Answer: The alarm is activated when the sensor reaches heat threshold. Some heat alarm measure the rate of heat increase and activate if predicted to exceed heat threshold. Heat alarms are ideal for use in the kitchen as they do not detect smoke or fumes and therefore reduce nuisance activations from burnt toast or something similar.

Where should I locate my heat alarms? 

Answer: For the best protection heat alarms should always be installed as part of a complete fire protection system that also includes smoke alarms. Always refer to your manufacturers guide. Heat alarms are best suited to areas where dust, fumes and moisture can cause nuisance alarms in smoke alarms, such as:

• Boiler rooms • Kitchens • Laundry rooms • Lofts • Garages

They should only be used in the above applications and where possible be connnected to smoke alarms. 

NOTE: HEAT ALARMS SHOULD NOT BE WALL MOUNTED.

Install sufficient alarms to compensate for closed doors and obstacles, which may interfere with the path of heat to an alarm and may prevent occupants from hearing an alarm.

Do’s

• Heat alarms should be positioned on the ceiling, as centrally as possible within the room.
• A distance no greater than 5.3m from the farthest wall, no greater than 5.3m from a door to any room in which a fire might start and no greater than 5.3m from the next heat alarm.
• Positioned at least 30cm from walls, light fittings, or any obstructions. This is to ensure that they are outside of any ‘dead air’ spaces that occur in corners that can affect the performance of your alarm. Figure A
• Peaked and sloped ceilings - heat alarms should be positioned a maximum of 60cm vertically down from the apex. Figure B
• Beams (where the depth of the beam is less than 10% of the room height) – position the alarm twice the depth of the beam away. For example, if beam is 15cm beam deep - position the heat alarm at least 30cm away from beam. Figure C
• Beams (where the depth of the beam is more than 10% of the room height) – treat the beam as a wall and fit heat alarms on both sides of the beam, or if the beam is less than 60cm deep site the heat alarm on the underside of the beam. Figure D

 

Don’ts

• Heat alarms should not be installed in escape routes instead of smoke alarms.
• Heat alarms should not be positioned in bathrooms or too close to a bathroom door as steam/moisture can affect them.

Figure A

Figure B

Figure C 

Figure D