Fire Alarm System Design

A fire alarm is only as good as the thinking behind it. Detectors in the wrong places can miss a developing fire or sound for a steaming kettle, and a system that doesn't match how the building is used can fail an inspection before anyone has pressed a test button. 

At Incognito Systems, we design fire alarm systems for commercial and industrial premises across Northamptonshire, working from your layout and occupancy, along with the risks identified for your building. Every system we install is completed to BS5839, so the design is built around it from the start.

Larger or more complex premises generally suit addressable systems, since the panel identifies the exact device that has been triggered. Smaller premises with a simple layout are often well served by a conventional, zone-based system, which costs less to install. We recommend whichever suits the building and explain our reasons, so you are not left guessing why one was chosen over the other.

Smoke and heat detectors respond to different conditions, and a device that suits an office corridor can cause constant false alarms in a dusty workshop or a kitchen. We choose the type for each area and position it with ceiling height and airflow in mind, as well as how the space is used. Manual call points and sounders are laid out so that every part of the building is covered and the alarm can be heard where people are.

Every system we design is specified to BS5839, and our work is independently inspected through FireQual accreditation. Design decisions are recorded, so when the system is installed and commissioned, then handed over, the paperwork matches what was agreed. That makes later inspections and insurance queries easier, and it gives whoever maintains the system a clear record to work from.

Where it suits the building, the design can include links to door release and access control, so exits open as the alarm sounds without leaving the site open day to day. We also design security systems, so these links are planned together rather than added later. Emergency lighting and voice alarm can be designed in from the start where the building needs them, along with emergency voice communication.

We start with a site survey and talk through how the building is used and what your fire risk assessment requires. From there we prepare the design and a detailed quote, so you can see what is proposed and why. Once you approve it, our engineers install and commission the system with minimal disruption. Every device is tested and full documentation handed over before we leave, and our maintenance packages then keep everything compliant.