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Smoke alarm replacement

TheDecameron said:
We had such a system installed in three rooms by an electrician to meet the new legal requirement in Scotland ( deferred till 2022). I think it had to be actually installed by an electrician for some reason. Cost was £350. It’s a fat market for them with the huge private rental market in Edinburgh in particular.
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Don’t. You’re giving me the heebie-jeebies
 
Being in Scotland we have to add some alarms to an existing wired system. I read you can change a base station in the wired system and fit a wireless unit, that then talks to new sensors and still keeps the wired capability - has anyone done this please ? It's required as we can't easily add more wired alarms without ripping out ceilings.

And I read some shocking reviews of Screwfix units the other day so best do some research before buying.

CHE
 
I thought they’d have to be mains powered but the installer said 10yr Li batteries are sufficient to meet the regulation. I had phoned up and asked him to put in a mains powered system initially. The CO detectors didn’t have to be interlinked, so I’m using one of my own. It’s worth reading the installation requirements for these because I used to plonk them on the boiler which is not where they’re supposed to go!
 
CHE said:
Being in Scotland we have to add some alarms to an existing wired system. I read you can change a base station in the wired system and fit a wireless unit, that then talks to new sensors and still keeps the wired capability - has anyone done this please ? It's required as we can't easily add more wired alarms without ripping out ceilings.

And I read some shocking reviews of Screwfix units the other day so best do some research before buying.

CHE
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Yes, I do this regularly.
 
Well, it seems there is a non-replaceable lithium cell in the base, which is what is powering the blip noise. Even removing it from the ceiling doesn’t do anything, so it’s now outside on the garden table bleeping to itself. A sticker inside says it should be replaced in 2022 anyway.
I reckon a leccy will charge a minimum call out fee of 75 squid and then recommend replacing all three alarms anyway, so I think @Ian G s suggestion is a good one. I’ll get down to Screwfix tomorrow and get some battery wireless ones. It should also mean I don’t have to bother with the CO alarm for the stove either.
Thanks for suggestions all.
 
must admit the interlinked scotland thing has me thinking i should replace - our house is on 4 floors so could be a while before we hear an alarm in the cellar - will have a google
 
I'm planning to go with the lithium battery, wireless interlinked option for both of our properties. Our Edinburgh place has wired and connected alarms at the moment but the new regulations mean we need additional ones (e.g. heat sensor in the kitchen and I think we also need one in each of the living rooms) where we don't have wiring currently. Neither house has a boiler inside it (the Edinburgh place has it in the garage and the other one is the garden) so I don't think we need a C02 alarm as neither house has gas fires either.

When I checked the regulations I didn't see anything about needed to be fitted by an electrician (given it's only a case of screwing them into place and turning then on) but I'll check again. I have a tame electrician available though (my brother in law) so not a major hassle if that is the case.
 
My recalcitrant tamagotchi base I left in the garden finally died this morning with a flurry of squeaks and bleeps. Then silence. Is it possible to have feelings for a smoke alarm?

edit: it just bleeped again. All is not lost.
 
SteveG said:
I'm planning to go with the lithium battery, wireless interlinked option for both of our properties. Our Edinburgh place has wired and connected alarms at the moment but the new regulations mean we need additional ones (e.g. heat sensor in the kitchen and I think we also need one in each of the living rooms) where we don't have wiring currently. Neither house has a boiler inside it (the Edinburgh place has it in the garage and the other one is the garden) so I don't think we need a C02 alarm as neither house has gas fires either.

When I checked the regulations I didn't see anything about needed to be fitted by an electrician (given it's only a case of screwing them into place and turning then on) but I'll check again. I have a tame electrician available though (my brother in law) so not a major hassle if that is the case.
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I think the issue was the brand/ model we were offered could only be fitted by one.
 
Nero said:
Not a bad call, even if they simply recommend a decent local installer. Is their number still 999?
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The fire service only install & deal with battery operated alarms. They won't give recommendations for specific installers just tell you to get a suitably qualified one.
 
Nero said:
Thanks. That’s certainly an option. How important is it to have them connected in some way? I see some can connect to each other wirelessly. I quite like the idea of the upstairs one going off if there’s smoke downstairs. Might give us a few extra seconds.
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Unconnected ones are fine. If the one downstairs starts screaming it's not as if you won't hear it unless you live in a house bigger than Blenheim Palace or are already dead.
 
hifinutt said:
Indeed but to fit them one needs to disturb the floor above
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That's why you get a battery one. One self adhesive pad, no drilling. It's what the fire brigade do. They have a broomstick like device so that they can fit them without using ladders. Just lift it up on the stick, stick it to the ceiling, done.

Edit - just tested mine, with a bit of newspaper and a match in an old dish. Good enough.
 
ha no , mains powered is better and interlinked better . had a to replace a fire brigade fitted one at MIL after not very long
 
Nero said:
Hmm, I sort of decided a while back I would never have a Nest or similar connected device in the house. I can’t help thinking that I’ll get calls from insurance companies and undertakers once it’s installed :)
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Sounds like what you need is a tin-foil hat as well.. ;)

The Nest Protect works brilliantly, very happy with it - it provides CO as well as smoke detection, can remotely alert me on my phone if it's triggered, has handy night-lighting built in and if it detects CO it will check whether the boiler is on (through the Nest Thermostat) and if it is, it'll turn that off as well.

Anyway, that's just my findings, good luck with whatever you ultimately decide on.
 
I take your point but I can’t help thinking it’s a solution looking for a problem. If you are on holiday and your Nest alarm says there’s a fire. Do you call the Fire Brigade? They would be mightily pissed off if it’s a false alarm. I get that service for free from the neighbours. If they see smoke, they take care of it.
The point of a smoke alarm is to give you time to evacuate. I sure as hell ain’t going to check my phone before exiting sharpish.
Mind you, I do have a toothbrush that allegedly connects to my phone via bluetooth. God knows why. :)
We’re all victims of gizmology
 
I'm in a flat so I'd call one of my neighbours to alert them as it would affect them significantly if my flat were ablaze and I wasn't in. At least it would give them more time to check, evacuate and call the fire brigade. The alarm also goes off like any normal smoke alarm would too, not just on the phone! I really like that if it's triggered for CO, it'll also turn off the thing that's causing it. I'd suggest looking into it in a bit more detail before writing it off but if you've made your mind up already then no worries...

I also have the bluetooth toothbrush, I also do not know why. I think it was dirt cheap on a Black Friday years ago and I got click-happy.
 
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