Piezo mini-horn installation

[katwalatapan]

Hello,

We are considering installation of piezo mini-horns in each apartment unit of a multi-unit residential building. The building has a conventional fire alarm system with bells in the corridors for notification. The addition of piezo mini-horn in each unit is to ensure minimum audibility levels.

I wanted to inquire if the alarm bells in the corridors are required to be replaced to match the temporal audio pattern of the piezo mini-horns? OR is it usually acceptable for bells and mini-horns to work in the same environment?

Thank you.

 

[itsmoked]

katwalatapan; I'm sorry I didn't see this post till now. I'm not sure why.

I don't think there is usually a requirement for them to match but from a victim's point of view it would seem to me that a single loud sound rather than completely different sounds at different levels in different locations would dramatically add to confusion and hence undesired panic. I'd go with one sound only. I'm surprised the bells aren't loud enough. Have you gotten a decimal meter and checked?

Keith Cress
kcress -

http://www.flaminsystems.com

 

[katwalatapan]

Thank you Keith for your response. This is 30 year old building and the residents are seniors. The bells do not seem to provide code required decibel levels in the bedrooms.

 

[Sparweb]

Then isn't the appropriate solution to install more of these bells, or louder ones, in the corridors so that more sound reaches the rooms?
Another line of investigation is whether the old bells are still in good condition, receiving the power they require, etc.
Since this may sound obvious, then I believe you have already investigated and are not finding louder bells?
I find that hard to believe because my recent experiences with fire alarms in several different buildings is that the noise is very difficult to tolerate in any part of the building. Maybe I'm still young and sensitive...


STF