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Smoke & Heat Alarms

Safe Fire Direct offer the UK's largest and most comprehensive range of smoke and heat alarms all manufactured by the highest regarded brands in the industry. Mains powered, battery powered and low voltage alarms are available for different power requirements. Each alarm in our range has been stringently tested and certified to the latest British Standards so you can be assured of their quality and reliability.

Our range includes optical and ionisation smoke alarms, heat alarms and multi-sensor alarms to provide optimum performance in different areas of your property. We also offer alarms which can be radio-interlinked or hard-wire interlinked so that you can create a connected system to provide synchronised warning throughout a building.

Optical Smoke Alarms

Optical smoke alarms (also known as photoelectric smoke alarms) use light scatter technology to detect smoke. They are best for detecting larger particles of smoke which are caused by slow-burning, smouldering fires.

They are best suited for installation on escape routes and in main circulation areas. They can be installed near kitchens as they are less prone to false alarms from cooking fumes than ionisation sensors. They should not be installed directly in kitchens, garages or near poorly ventilated bathrooms to avoid nuisance alarms from fumes or steam.

To find out more about how Optical Smoke Alarms work, look out for our smoke alarm sensor guide which is coming soon.

Ionisation Smoke Alarms

Ionisation smoke alarms use a small volume of radioactive material. They work by ionising air between electrodes which creates a small consistent current inside the sensing chamber. Smoke entering the chamber disrupts the current and signals the alarm to trigger. They are very sensitive to smaller particles of smoke which are produced by faster flaming fires.

They are most suited for installation on landings, however it is recommended that optical or multi-sensor alarms are used instead of ionisation type sensors where possible because of their susceptibility to false alarms. They should not be installed in hallways or near kitchens as they are particularly prone to nuisance alarms caused by cooking fumes.

To find out more about how Ionisation Smoke Alarms work, look out for our smoke alarm sensor guide which is coming soon.

Multi-Sensor Alarms

Multi-Sensor alarms contain two separate sensors - optical smoke and thermal heat sensors - which monitor both signals and use an algorithm of the combined signals to trigger an alarm. They provide a much faster response to most fire types and are less prone to false alarms associated with individual optical or ionisation smoke alarms.

They are recommended for installation in main circulation areas (living rooms), escape routes, hallways and bedrooms. While they do contain a thermal heat sensor, they should not be installed directly in kitchens or garages and should still be treated predominantly as smoke alarms.

To find out more about how Multi-Sensor Alarms work, look out for our smoke alarm sensor guide which is coming soon.