Smoke detectors - How many?

Lex Luthor

I'm just snagging a log cabin at the moment, single story, open plan living/kitchen/diner to the front, hall at the back of this through the middle of the remainder with 3 bedrooms & bathroom at back.

Just 1 smoke detector was fitted to the ceiling in the hall. I asked whether it needed 2 but was told only one is required on each level of a building.

Is this correct? I'm being a bit nervous with it being a log cabin and thinking the more smoke detectors, the better without dotting them all over the place.

Johnniep

I am no expert when it comes to these matters but I have attached a clip from the TGD's (Part - Fire

An LD3 system incorporates suitably located and
interconnected detectors in the circulation areas
(normally hall-ways, corridors and staircases) that
form the escape route. In stairways, alarms are
provided at all storey levels. Typically, a two storey
dwelling house would have alarms in the hall-way and
above the first floor landing. In a typically singlestorey
dwelling house a single alarm may be
adequate. However, if there are long hall-ways or
corridors, additional alarms will be necessary.
Dwelling houses with up to three storeys above
ground level should have at least an LD3 system.
Dwelling houses with more than three storeys, large
houses, or where the fire risk so warrants, should be
provided with LD2 or LD1 systems as appropriate,
which will provide a higher level of life safety.
Guidance on system types for different situations is
contained in BS 5839: Part 6: 1995.

1.5.5.3 Installation of smoke alarms - Two
types of self-contained smoke alarm, an optical type
and an ionisation type, which have differing smoke
response characteristics, are available. A mixture of
both types is recommended and in the case of a
typical two storey dwelling house, an optical type on
the ground floor storey and an ionisation type on the
upper floor may be the most appropriate.
The number and location of smoke alarms will be
determined by the system type (see 1.5.5.2). In
circulation areas, no door to a habitable room
should be further than 7.5 m from the nearest
smoke alarm. The location of smoke alarms,
particularly in relation to doorways to bedrooms and
the spacing of units, should be such as to ensure that
the audibility requirements specified in BS 5839: Part
6: 1995 will be achieved.

Based on the above (and a bit of common sense ) I would have allowed for more, there is absolutely no redundancy in the system provided.

Personally, if it was my house, I would look for detectors in the rooms also. A little overkill probably, but for the sake of a few €€€€€'s.....money well spent!

Sparky

All new electrical installations as of July this year require:
1 smoke(ionisation) or heat (optical) detector in the kitchen (the later works best)
1 in the hall
1 in the hotpress
and 1 on each landing within the house
All to be interlinked and mains operated.

Ofcourse if you like, a standalone zoned fire alarm system can be installed with BGUs, bells and sounders, but thats overkill for a residental house.

You can even go for emergency lighting if required.

Lex Luthor wrote:

I'm just snagging a log cabin at the moment, single story, open plan living/kitchen/diner to the front, hall at the back of this through the middle of the remainder with 3 bedrooms & bathroom at back.

Just 1 smoke detector was fitted to the ceiling in the hall. I asked whether it needed 2 but was told only one is required on each level of a building.

Is this correct? I'm being a bit nervous with it being a log cabin and thinking the more smoke detectors, the better without dotting them all over the place.

I recommend for you.

1 smokie in hall
1 heat in kitchen favoured towards the cooking area
1 smoke in living diner area and 1 smoke in hallway near bedrooms, all to be interlinked and mains operated on a seperate MCB in your mains board.

Lex Luthor

Sparky-s wrote:

All new electrical installations as of July this year require:
1 smoke(ionisation) or heat (optical) detector in the kitchen (the later works best)
1 in the hall
1 in the hotpress
and 1 on each landing within the house
All to be interlinked and mains operated.

Ofcourse if you like, a standalone zoned fire alarm system can be installed with BGUs, bells and sounders, but thats overkill for a residental house.

You can even go for emergency lighting if required.



I recommend for you.

1 smokie in hall
1 heat in kitchen favoured towards the cooking area
1 smoke in living diner area and 1 smoke in hallway near bedrooms, all to be interlinked and mains operated on a seperate MCB in your mains board.

The electrical installation was probably done before July but I need to get hold of the electrical certs before I know what date it was certified. I'll see what the snagger has to say on Monday and what he also recommends.

The smoke detector in the hall is outside all 3 bedrooms, but I'm just a bit concerned with the open plan kitchen/diner/living area that there is no cover at all.

mukki

you need to have an alarm in every room that you can fall asleep in!!!!



so all bedrooms, and rooms with comfy seats, that way if something in the room starts smoldering, you get woken up, instead of forced into a deeper sleep.

a smoke alarm at the top of the stairs is no use if your asleep in bed and your "bedside alarm clock/TV/electric shower in ensuite" is filling your room with smoke

Sparky

The minimum spec is as I posted. There is no harm installing detectors in every room. Most if not all mains detectors are very loud and especially when interlinked.

If you are in doubt, you can ask advise from a fire chief and from fire alarm installers such as Apex and Vector fire.

Lex Luthor

It will be interesting to see what the fire certs provided mention regarding it.