Unlike passive smoke detection systems, including point detectors, DHA systems actively draw smoke into the detector through holes into a piping system that extends throughout the protected area. Additionally, DHA systems incorporate integrity monitoring to ensure that an alert is generated any time the DHA's ability to detect smoke is compromised. This is not the case with passive devices which are generally only electrically controlled with no ability to determine whether smoke can reach the sensing element.

DHA systems incorporate more than one alarm level. This allows a DHA system to provide very early warning of an event, triggering the alert at the earliest stage of a fire, allowing it to be extinguished before it spreads. Other alarm levels can be configured to provide fire alarm inputs as well as automatically trigger suppression systems. DHA alarm sensitivities are configurable and can be programmed to levels ranging from thousands of times more sensitive than a conventional detector, to much less sensitive. The detectors work best in non-volatile environments.[7]​[8][9]​ They can also be used in computer cases to alert users about overheating of computer cables or individual computer components.[10]​.

The DHA design corrects the deficiencies of conventional smoke detectors by using a multi-hole sampling pipe. Air samples are captured and filtered, removing any contaminants or dust to avoid false alarms, and then processed by a highly sensitive centralized laser detection unit. If smoke is detected, the system alarm is activated and signals are processed through centralized monitoring stations within a few seconds.[6]​.

Unlike passive smoke detection systems, including point detectors, DHA systems actively draw smoke into the detector through holes into a piping system that extends throughout the protected area. Additionally, DHA systems incorporate integrity monitoring to ensure that an alert is generated any time the DHA's ability to detect smoke is compromised. This is not the case with passive devices which are generally only electrically controlled with no ability to determine whether smoke can reach the sensing element.

DHA systems incorporate more than one alarm level. This allows a DHA system to provide very early warning of an event, triggering the alert at the earliest stage of a fire, allowing it to be extinguished before it spreads. Other alarm levels can be configured to provide fire alarm inputs as well as automatically trigger suppression systems. DHA alarm sensitivities are configurable and can be programmed to levels ranging from thousands of times more sensitive than a conventional detector, to much less sensitive. The detectors work best in non-volatile environments.[7]​[8][9]​ They can also be used in computer cases to alert users about overheating of computer cables or individual computer components.[10]​.