Mains Interlinked Smoke alarms.
Smoke alarms are nothing new but recent events have thrown fire safety in to the spotlight. As an Electrician I visit a lot of properties in Eltham, Sidcup, Swanley and surrounding areas & one thing that is noticeable is that very few actually have any kind of working smoke detection installed.
Having a working smoke alarm system is vital if the worst does happen and there is a fire in your property. As an Electrician I have seen 1st hand the devastation left behind after a fire and believe it should be essential to have these life saving devices installed in all domestic properties.
Whether you choose to install battery operated alarms or mains interlinked smoke alarms you should regularly test them by pressing the test button on the front of the unit to ensure they are working correctly throughout their life, it also is recommended to hoover the base regularly to clear and dust or debris that may have built up inside over time.
Another often overlooked issue with having smoke alarms installed is that there are different types for different areas of a property, they traditionally fall in to 3 main categories:
– Heat alarms – to be used mainly in kitchens as it will react to change in temperatures and prevent false alarms from any cooking fumes!
– Optical alarms – An optical fire alarm will detect a smouldering type of fire which would be caused by an electrical source, these will not be as sensitive to false alarms if installed near kitchens, they are designed to be installed in hallways, landings, living rooms & dining rooms.
– Ionisation alarms – Designed to react to small particles found in fires like you would get from bedding or clothing, you would install this sensor type in bedrooms, they can be prone to false alarms if fitted near to kitchens so, as with all alarms, correct placement is integral to prevent false alarms.
In some circumstance LABC (Local Authority Building Control) will insist on having mains smoke alarms fitted to your property if you carry out building works, such as:
– A Loft conversion
– A new habitable room above ground floor level (bedrooms, kitchens, living room, dining room)
– A new habitable room on the ground floor without a final exit to outdoors.
The requiremens for smoke alarms in such circumstance are:
– Each habitable room must have a smoke alarm fitted within 7.5m & circulation spaces such as landings and hallways will be required to have a smoke alarm installed also
– Alarms must be installed a minimum of 300mm from walls and light fittings
– Heat alarms are to be installed in Kitchen if necessary (not smoke alarms as this will cause false alarms)
– Ensure the electrical installation meets Part P of the building regulations
Smoke-Alarms-Electrician-Sidcup
Below we look at some of the pros and cons of both battery smoke alarms & a mains interlinked smoke alarm system.
Battery operated smoke alarms
Pros:
Cheap and easy to install
Doesn’t require a professional to install for you
Easy to maintain.
Cons:
Will only alert you if the fire is near enough to the alarm to set it off
Other alarms will not sound until the fire spread enough to set them off
Mains interlinked smoke alarms
Pros:
Will set off all interlinked alarms throughout property if 1 alarm is activated
Have battery back up installed incase of mains electrical failure
Offers a higher grade of protection than standalone battery units.
Can be set up to have accessories installed including current alarm status reports sent to your phone.
Cons:
Initial cost to set up is higher than standalone battery version
The smoke heads themselves will require replacing (usually after 10 years).