Optical smoke detectors Commonly used in most areas where a fire may occur from combustible materials such as paper, wood, textiles – applications – most circulation areas such as corridors, hallways, escape routes, standard rooms in most buildings

Ionisation detectors Not as common as optical but still useful for clean burning firessuch as metholated spirits, petrol or paint thinners, these detectors are more sensitive to this type of fire than optical detectors – applications – paint stores, chemical stores, cleaners cupboards, surgical stores.

Heat detectors – fixed temperatureWhere a smoke detector cannot be used because of false alarm problems such as smoke, condensation or dust, this would be in areas like kitchens or boiler rooms which have fluctuation in temperatures..

Heat detector – rate of riseThese detectors work by sensing a sharp rising change in temperature & are not to be used in a kitchen or boiler room where the temperature can rise and fall quite rapidly. The ideal place would be a garage where fumes restrict use of smoke detectors, or a dusty environment..

Multi-Sensors Are detectors with both smoke and heat elements and can be used with a number of different combinations, either a mixture of smoke and heat is required to trigger the detectors or they may be timed to operate heat in the day and smoke at night, they are mainly used for bespoke applications where a particular fire risk or false alarm needs to be considered. And therefore the appropriate setting applied.

Co2 Detectors These detectors pick up the carbon monoxide given off from a fire at the smoldering or red ember stage of a fire, these detectors can be used where its impractical to use a smoke detector but a heat detector is not appropriate, they are best used to detect a fire at an early smoldering stage such as deep seated fires in saw or flour mills, however these detectors should not be confused with domestic type Co2 detectors used to pick up carbon monoxide poisoning, they should not be used to replace smoke detectors as they are not as effective and should only be used as part of a fire safety solution.

Beam Detectors Usually used in buildings with high ceilings such as warehouses, rather than 1 point of detection spread through out the protected areas as with a smoke detectors, these detectors spread a beam from one end of the building to another (from 10 – 100metres), they will sense smoke at higher levels than a standard smoke detector & can save money on installation time in large open areas where only 1 detector may be required for a large area, applications – warehouses, atriums, areas where a smoke detector cannot be reached, high levels ceilings.

Air Aspirating Detectors Works on a similar basis to optical smoke detectors but these detectors are highly sensitive and pick up very small amounts of smoke. The detection is delivered by way of a plastic tube running along the area to be protected, air is sucked through small holes in parts of the tube and is then analysed back at the main detector – typical applications may be server rooms, voids, atriums, museums, art galleries, places with high value stock or equipment.

Flame Detectors Utilised in any area where a sudden flash of heat / flame may occur & the need to detect this immediately is of paramount importance – applications – oil stores, aircraft hangers, fuel depots, filling stations, sugar, flour, cement factories or any industry with an explosive atmosphere

Linear Heat Detectors A wire spanning the area to be protected, once the ambient temperature rises above a certain level the wires resistance value changes or short circuits and provides an alarm – applications – car parks, plant and machinery such as conveyor belts, tunnels.

Video Fire Detection By using standard CCTV video cameras the picture is analysed back at a main computer and certain patterns are monitored to detect the visual image of smoke and IR radiation from heat – applications – tunnels, airports, aircraft hangers, fuel depots, external areas which require monitoring such as air strips or lorry parks