An alarm is used to alert others of a dangerous situation or theft with the former type of alarm being the less concealing solution. That's because it alerts either in the form of a light or sound. Some people would say that the former is better and others that the latter option is more capable but despite that, each has a certain set of pros and cons.
Focusing on the latter, sounders, as they're also called, are able to alert people who can't even see the alarm. This makes sounders quite an effective solution in areas with large open spaces where only a wall separates different departments. But not every sounder is going to fit every application therefore certain features are worth considering.
What Matters in a Sounder
Volume
The loudness of alarm sirens depends on the ambient noise levels in the area you want to install them. The higher these levels are the louder the sounder you should get. But what also matters is if you're going to use sounders indoors or outdoors, usually outdoor alarm sirens are loud while indoor ones are quieter.
Power Source
You can get sirens for sale that are battery-powered or hardwired. The benefit of the former is that in case of an outage or failure of a safety component, you get to have the alarm operational regardless. With a hardwired option, you don't have to constantly change the battery but it is more difficult to install.
Mounting
There are also two options when it comes to the mounting of alarm sirens and you can have either a ceiling or surface-mounted alarm. When it comes to a hardwired sounder make sure to plan out the wiring too so that there's no interference with fixtures currently in your facility.
Size
The size of the sounder affects not only how much power it has but also how loud it can get. A larger sounder is one with a higher wattage and this results in alarm sirens with loud alerts. But this also increases their price quite a bit and makes them more difficult to install than lighter models.
IP Rating
The IP or ingress protection rating refers to the environmental resistance of a sounder. This rating says a lot about how well-protected a unit is from both dust and water. An IP rating comes with either 2 numbers or one number and one letter. All in all, the higher the number the better the level of protection.
Location
Where you put the sounder matters as its location says a lot about how long the sound will travel and whether or not it will reach a certain area. Make sure that you get a sounder made for indoors if you're planning to use it inside and an outdoor one if you plan to use it out in the open. Not only is the latter more capable but it's also better protected from the elements.
Integration
If you have an existing alarm system you should ensure that the sounder you go for is compatible with it. Otherwise, you won't be able to use it safely or make the most out of it. The sounder should support the common communication protocols used in your industry so that it works together with control and monitoring systems accordingly.
Features
There are many different features that a sounder comes with and some of the more important ones are remote diagnostics, live voice messages and emergency notifications for first responders. These features are all must-haves as they help make your work area a lot safer despite mainly operating in the background.
Sealed vs Unsealed
There is no question that you should go for a sealed unit as these come with a resin-filled back which helps protect the inside from both moisture and dust. This is an additional level of protection than the one offered by the sounder's IP rating.
Applications of Sounders
Healthcare
Sounder alarms are quite common in hospitals and other healthcare facilities where alerting staff about a certain emergency in the quickest way possible is quite important. It's not just the staff but patients need to be carried out during an emergency which is why the most advanced sirens for sale are often found in the healthcare industry.
Warehouse
Storage facilities and warehouses are also making use of sounders especially together with light beacons. That's because in large distribution centres where heavy machinery and bulky equipment are present a sounder alone isn't as effective since there's a lot of ambient noise.
Commercial Buildings
A commercial building such as an office, mall or hotel is the ideal application for sounders. That's because ambient noise is not as high as that in a warehouse and the alerts are therefore immediate.
Industrial Facilities
Alarm sirens are also used to alert workers of potential hazards as well as the malfunction of equipment in industrial plants and facilities. The use of both visual and audible alarms is quite common here too.
