Smoke alarm advice

awacko

Hi,
we're planning to get some rewiring done , and one of the suggestions from the electricians was to get mains smoke alarms. Simple question - how many should we get ? We're in a bungalow with a T-shaped hall and 3 bedrooms. Definitely get one in the living room - should we get two in the hall ? Is it
over the top to get any more - will it be expensive to get them - we're still at the working out what we need before he gives us a price stage. Any comments/suggestions welcome. THanks

Clive_Woody

We had mains smoke alarms in the last house, they had a mind of their own, often waiting to the middle of the night and you were in a very deep sleep before going off....no the house wasn't on fire before you ask. I replaced them with battery opperated alarms instead.

MX5huggy

You should have one in the kitchen, but I think a heat dectector insted of a smoke detector. So it does not go off every time you burn the toast!

Do you really need this at all? you are unlikley to be traped in a bungalow just smash a window and step out!!! Might be the sparky trying to make a bit of extra from the job? has he offered to network your house aswell?

deanos

If i was you i would just get battery ones for around £10 each, no need to pay an electrician.

Thehooker

Without any shadow of a doubt, get a hardwired smoke detector with battery back-up and heat detector for the kitchen all inter-linked. Otherwise ring up your local fireservice and request a home fire safety visit, its free of charge and they will give you all the advice you need, if you require a smoke detector they will provide them (usually a 10 year battery type) for free. This comes from a firefighter!

Igol

Damn beat me to it.
Trumpton will sort you out if you give them a ring.

TimBuckTeeth

MX5huggy wrote: »

Do you really need this at all? you are unlikley to be traped in a bungalow just smash a window and step out!!! Might be the sparky trying to make a bit of extra from the job? has he offered to network your house aswell?

It would be unwise not to fit smoke alarms. They will wake you up before overcome with smoke and give more time to escape.

Fitting mains smoke alarms is better than having battery powered ones. They can be linked to sound the alarms in all rooms and won't have problems with flat or removed batteries. They are not expensive and the wiring/labour cost should not be much if having other work done at the same time.

A heat sensor is a better choice for a kitchen, and a smoke alarm located near the kitchen should have a hush button to silence it. The smoke alarms should be fitted near enough to be loud enough in each bedroom, so 2 in the hallway is preferable.
Not essential but could fit them in the bedrooms if there are TVs or other electrical items left on standby.

awacko

Thanks for all the replies - for the record , our electrician is not doing it to make extra work .

hewhoisnotintheknow

the normal ones are so cheap i wouldnt bother.

how about the ones that fit into the light fittings and charge of the light?

brightonman123

i live in a flat, and the hardwired one we have in the hall way is very sensitive- wouldnt need one in hthe kitchem, as i am ure sensible MSE'ers dont leave food cooking unattended, right? (apart from baking stuff, natch!)

baldelectrician

When I generally rewire a house I put one upstairs and one downstairs

The spec is usually one within 3 metres of a bedoom andonethin 7 metres of a kitchen.

If your house is small one or two may do

Seek professional advice.

I use AICO 'easi-fit' smoke detectors, I find them better quality and get less problems with them