Mains Wired Smoke Alarms

[iwaters]

Given the news recently about that house fire I have got paranoid about the smoke detection in my house.

We currently have 2 battery operated alarms. One in the downstairs hall, and one on the landing. I want to replace them with mains powered ones (with battery backup).

I am not going to wire them myself but wonder if I should select the alarms and get my usual sparky in to fit them or should I get a company which specialises in fire saftey?

What is the general recommended number/type/location of alarms? My house is 4 bed, two stories, one bed is above the garage (car not stored in there but there is a freezer and lots of paint/oil etc.

 

[Taylortwocities]

You'll need interlinked ones and maybe a heat alarm in the kitchen. Use a trained installer trained installer and let him/her get the right ones.

Edit: where abouts in bucks are you?

 

[iwaters]

You'll need interlinked ones and maybe a heat alarm in the kitchen. Use a trained installer trained installer and let him/her get the right ones.

Edit: where abouts in bucks are you?

Cheers. I'm in Milton Keynes.

Will look on that site and find someone. I assume if they are interlinked then if one goes off sound will come out of all of them? Definitley want something in the kitchen and something in the garage as both kids bedrooms are above these areas.

 

[Taylortwocities]

Cheers. I'm in Milton Keynes.

.

Umm too far from me..

As well as smoke alarms, it is worthwhile examining if there are any fire-rated ceilings in the house (the garage should be).

If so, has some crazed idiot put downlights or other holes in the ceiling? The downlights must be fire-rated otherwise the downlight holes will act as a fire chimney into the room above.

 

[iwaters]

Cheers.

The previous owner had a downlight fetish and installed them everywhere (not in the garage though thankfully) including some non-waterproof ones in the bathroom above the bath (one is litterally about 6 inches from the shower head). I am in the process of removing them all.

From what I have seen doing the bathroom most celing seems to be standard plasterboard. Not sure about the kitchen. Funnily enough the bathroom above the kitchen had a leak and stained the ceiling a good oppotunity to a) check if it is fire rated and b) replace it if not!

 

[Taylortwocities]

Most domestic houses will not have fire-rated ceilings except in the garage.

A fire-rated ceiling is there to slow the passage of fire and this is only done to provide separate fire-compartments.
Flats etc will have fire-rated ceilings etc as each is a separate fire compartment.

In a house, like yours there is no point as you have a massive chimney thing that fire will rush up. Its called the stairs.

So there's no point putting up a fire-rated ceiling in the kitchen unless you have fire-closing doors to keep the fire in there. Better to have a heat alarm and be warned early.

I would swop your downlights for fire-rated ones, though, just to be sure.

 

[iwaters]

Ah, fair enough. There is no door on the kitchen currently so no point.

Will get some one in to advise on the alarms. Think I might get some CO monitors hard wired too as we currently have battery powered ones of those.

 

[flameport]

There is no door on the kitchen currently

You may want to put one on there. A major part of fire safety is reducing the spread of fire to give people time to escape. No door on a kitchen means any fire in there will be roaring into the rest of your house in seconds - and in most houses, this will include the stairs.

Will get some one in to advise on the alarms. Think I might get some CO monitors hard wired too

Before buying those, what gas appliances do you have and where are they?

 

[iwaters]

Thanks flameport. I have been planning to put the kitchen door on. It is in the garage. The cooking smells travel all round thouse as it (even with an extractor).

We have a condensing Gas boiler which in is the upstairs airing cupboard with the Megaflow tank. This has a fire door with intumescent strip.

There is a gas hob in the kitchen. Oven is electric.

We also have an open fire in the living room which burns wood mostly but occsasionally coal. Not sure if a CO detector should be in there.

 

[Alarm]

You could fit some smoke alarms yourself if competent.

Aico do mains fed wireless linked detectors.

If you feel unsure get a local electrician in to do the work. The reason for Aico wirless is it removes the need to run an extra cable to each detector.
Power is taken from a light in each protected room/zone.
They also do a CO detector you can use.

www.aico.co.uk

I fit and am registered with them. This is not a advert.

 

[iwaters]

Thanks Alarm. I am very competent at DIY - I am currently re-doing our ensuite bathroom (plumbing, tiling, fitting shower, paint etc.).

Electrics I don't fully understand and so it is best I don't do them. If I do something wrong I could electrocute myself or burn my house down ( and my new fire alarms might not go off!). Also as has been advised earlier I need someone to come and spec the types and locations of alarms

Plus with installing fire alarms for safety I want to be sure they have been installed by a competent person.

 

[RF Lighting]

That's refreshing to hear

 

[Alarm]

That's refreshing to hear

Certainly is!