Linked fire/heat alarms law

[danny la rouge]

I mean this is just silly, Sas. It's a sensible idea and could save lives (and get fires put out before the house is destroyed). You're just against it for spite because it's Nicola Sturgeon telling you which is pretty childish.

Indeed.

For the record, I’m not against linked alarms, I’m critical of the way the legislation was written.

 

[Sasaferrato]

I mean this is just silly, Sas. It's a sensible idea and could save lives (and get fires put out before the house is destroyed). You're just against it for spite because it's Nicola Sturgeon telling you which is pretty childish.

No. It is because the current arrangement, which has worked flawlessly for the last 32 years is perfectly OK.

We would gain absolutely nothing by putting one of those hideous things on our living room ceiling.

 

[editor]

Google Nest isn't compliant with the Scottish law. You can still use them of course but you would need a set of interlinked devices as well.

Why not? They're interlinked.

Update - I just checked here. Daft.

Nest Fire System And Scottish Legislation, Why You Should Avoid It

Smoke alarms are mandatory in all private premises in Scotland and the rest of the UK, and modern technology developments are bringing to the market new smart

fireguardplus.co.uk

 

[dessiato]

...

The fuckwits have said in breath one 'It is the law', and in breath two 'no one will be prosecuted for not having them'.

This bit makes no sense. Why have any law which isn't policed?

 

[pogofish]

Why not? They're interlinked.

Update - I just checked here. Daft.

Nest Fire System And Scottish Legislation, Why You Should Avoid It

Smoke alarms are mandatory in all private premises in Scotland and the rest of the UK, and modern technology developments are bringing to the market new smart

fireguardplus.co.uk

Yes - whilst I do agree broadly with the provision of smoke/heat detectors and particularly to improve safety in the rental/care sectors, I also agree with both Danny and Sass that for the domestic sector, the legislation is poorly-written/unworkable mess that didn't get right on a number of levels.

 

[dessiato]

No. It is because the current arrangement, which has worked flawlessly for the last 32 years is perfectly OK.

We would gain absolutely nothing by putting one of those hideous things on our living room ceiling.

Does it have to be there? Is it not hear detector in the kitchen, one fire detector upstairs, and one in the entrance hall?

Or do I need one in the TV lounge, one upstairs lounge in addition to the others?

 

[Sasaferrato]

Does it have to be there? Is it not hear detector in the kitchen, one fire detector upstairs, and one in the entrance hall?

Or do I need one in the TV lounge, one upstairs lounge in addition to the others?

You need one in the lounge.

 

[Sasaferrato]

Yes - whilst I do agree broadly with the provision of smoke/heat detectors and particularly to improve safety in the rental/care sectors, I also agree with both Danny and Sass that for the domestic sector, the legislation is poorly-written/unworkable mess that didn't get right on a number of levels.

You are not expecting competence from the SNP surely.

Look at their competence in everything else they touch, from hospitals to ferries. A bunch of delusional amateurs, where ideological purity trumps anything else.

Hugh Pennington should have been leading our Covid response, instead we got a sociologist, a dentist, and anthropologist and a GP.

 

[editor]

Yes - whilst I do agree broadly with the provision of smoke/heat detectors and particularly to improve safety in the rental/care sectors, I also agree with both Danny and Sass that for the domestic sector, the legislation is poorly-written/unworkable mess that didn't get right on a number of levels.

The interlinked ones in my block set off so many false alarms many people just unplugged them. So now they're worse off than even having a cheap one.

 

[DaveCinzano]

The fire brigade put them up at mum and dad's when they were attending a chimney fire back in January. They just screwed them to the ceiling. Unlike any fire alarms I've had in the past they do not go off every time you even think about sausages.

STOP THINKING ABOUT SAUSAGES!

 

[dessiato]

You need one in the lounge.

We have two lounges, so that's additional costs. Unless I can add them to the intruder alarm system it's going to be a lot of money.

 

[quimcunx]

STOP THINKING ABOUT SAUSAGES!

I don't need to any more. I can think about them all the time.

 

[DaveCinzano]

I don't need to any more. I can think about them all the time.

((((quimcunx's neighbours))))

 

[pogofish]

At basic, you need one in the main/most occupied room/s and circulation spaces, on every foor if there is more than one and a heat detector in the kitchen.

There are other requirements for carbon monoxide detectors to be connected if you have a boiler - central heating or water but not for a normal gas cooker/gas fire.

 

[dessiato]

I've a gas boiler in the kitchen, upstairs and downstairs Common areas, and two lounges. I assume from all the forgoing I need heat and CO² in the kitchen, fire detectors in both lounges, on the upstairs landing and downstairs entrance hall. All interlinked.

 

[pogofish]

We have two lounges, so that's additional costs. Unless I can add them to the intruder alarm system it's going to be a lot of money.

This is where home automation systems really start to look attractive - One of my colleagues got in to this big-time over lockdown and he continues to amaze me with just what he can connect to his system and integrate fully/monitor/operate remotely - so much more than any intruder/alarm system I've yet seen is capable of!

It also struck me that as far as privacy went, if he was an obsessive/controlling personality, his partner could have been somewhere very dark indeed in this environment.

However, the legislation clearly did nothing to exploit the potential of or even anticipate that this degree of interoperability/connectivity when it was framed.

IIRC most devices, incl the battery ones can be interlinked to a network of about a dozen devices in the same home, although most homes won't need more than three or four.

 

[pogofish]

I don't need to any more. I can think about them all the time.

That's the wurst thing about them..!

 

[pogofish]

Hugh Pennington should have been leading our Covid response, instead we got a sociologist, a dentist, and anthropologist and a GP.

I think Pennington's "leadership" would have been more akin to Hindenburg and Ludendorff in WW1 Germany. He was absolutely the right person to call-in as troubleshooter/heavy hitter for the limited outbreaks but he's not a team player in the wider political/public sense. You would have seen a real dictatorship under him!

 

[Sasaferrato]

I've a gas boiler in the kitchen, upstairs and downstairs Common areas, and two lounges. I assume from all the forgoing I need heat and CO² in the kitchen, fire detectors in both lounges, on the upstairs landing and downstairs entrance hall. All interlinked.

Or you can simply ignore the idiots.

 

[Johnny Vodka]

I mean this is just silly, Sas. It's a sensible idea and could save lives (and get fires put out before the house is destroyed). You're just against it for spite because it's Nicola Sturgeon telling you which is pretty childish.

I must admit, I live in a small two bedroom flat and two smoke alarms + one heat alarm does seem a bit overkill in terms of distance between alarms. But I just got on with it. I've heard people say it only really matters if you're planning on selling the property and doesn't affect insurance (though no-one take my word for it ). It was easy(ish) enough to do, but it did involve drilling into some asbestos I had no idea was there.

 

[dessiato]

I must admit, I live in a small two bedroom flat and two smoke alarms + one heat alarm does seem a bit overkill in terms of distance between alarms. But I just got on with it. I've heard people say it only really matters if you're planning on selling the property and doesn't affect insurance (though no-one take my word for it ). It was easy(ish) enough to do, but it did involve drilling into some asbestos I had no idea was there.

That implies its a very doable DIY project.

 

[Magnus McGinty]

I must admit, I live in a small two bedroom flat and two smoke alarms + one heat alarm does seem a bit overkill in terms of distance between alarms. But I just got on with it. I've heard people say it only really matters if you're planning on selling the property and doesn't affect insurance (though no-one take my word for it ). It was easy(ish) enough to do, but it did involve drilling into some asbestos I had no idea was there.

You could have just used a commercial/industrial double sided sticky tape. They’re not exactly heavy.

 

[Sasaferrato]

I must admit, I live in a small two bedroom flat and two smoke alarms + one heat alarm does seem a bit overkill in terms of distance between alarms. But I just got on with it. I've heard people say it only really matters if you're planning on selling the property and doesn't affect insurance (though no-one take my word for it ). It was easy(ish) enough to do, but it did involve drilling into some asbestos I had no idea was there.

I consulted my insurance company, Direct Line, they were not bothered whether we had them or not.

 

[equationgirl]

I don’t think it’s statutory to have linked fire detectors in a domestic property unless it’s new build or you’re planning on having tenants in it.
Although, are you talking about Spain? I wouldn’t know about there.

It's now the law in Scotland for all residential properties. May be a knee jerk reaction to the Art School and other random fires, who knows. But it's definitely the law.

Are they coming round to check? Not that I'm aware.i have linked alarms, you can trace the cables, and the flat is small enough that I would hear any alarm going off anyway, so it feels a bit much.

dessiato phone any electrician local to you and ask about the interlinked fire alarms requirements. They will talk you through it.

 

[Magnus McGinty]

It's now the law in Scotland for all residential properties. May be a knee jerk reaction to the Art School and other random fires, who knows. But it's definitely the law.

Yeah, I didn't realise he meant Scotland at first. I also didn't realise that Scottish regulations would be separate to The UK/EU or that Govts were the ones to set them (although they obviously pass things into law).

 

[equationgirl]

Yeah, I didn't realise he meant Scotland at first. I also didn't realise that Scottish regulations would be separate to The UK/EU or that Govts were the ones to set them (although they obviously pass things into law).

May I respectfully suggest that you listen to the people who actually live in Scotland please?

 

[Magnus McGinty]

May I respectfully suggest that you listen to the people who actually live in Scotland please?

Did I not do that once I understood? BTW, Fire alarm systems and fire risk assessments are very much part of what I do as a living. So I may treat your respectful suggestions with some caution.

 

[equationgirl]

Did I not do that once I understood? BTW, Fire alarm systems and fire risk assessments are very much part of what I do as a living. So I may treat your respectful suggestions with some caution.

If it's what you do for a living you should know when there are different laws applying across the UK.

And quite frankly when weepiper pointed out that the laws were different, you were a bit dismissive of her post - until other, male posters pointed out she was correct.

 

[Magnus McGinty]

If it's what you do for a living you should know when there are different laws applying across the UK.

And quite frankly when weepiper pointed out that the laws were different, you were a bit dismissive of her post - until other, male posters pointed out she was correct.

I didn’t read her link due to me making an incorrect assumption. But then I did read it when it was pointed out my assumption was incorrect.

 

[Magnus McGinty]

And quite frankly when weepiper pointed out that the laws were different, you were a bit dismissive of her post - until other, male posters pointed out she was correct.

And you’re wrong about this. Scotland wasn’t even mentioned in the OP or title (hence my incorrect assumption) until Sue mentioned it and whose post I liked for doing so. So not ‘male posters’ at all (although some did then follow).