Aico smoke alarms and Texecom house alarm

[JLeague]

I am in the process of getting my house rewired and I forget to think about adding smoke alarms and a burglar alarm. As the house is getting a total redecoration then it would be worthwhile to do it now.

I have been on the Aico website but it all seems a bit confusing - radio linked, audo linked and multiple series. Looking at Alarms I find it a bit easier to understand but then I really don't know which model I should aim for.

I want a hard wired system, where the smoke and burglar alarm if they are tripped will call an auto dialer. I don't need remote access, just something simple and reliable.

The house has hallway, living room, dining room, kitchen, upstairs landing, 3 bedrooms, bathroom.

So I need a smoke alarm in the hallway, kitchen, landing

I need door contacts for the front and back doors, a PIR in each living Room and dining room, PIR on landing upstairs

An alarm box to the front and to the back.

A keypad in the hallway.

Battery backup and an auto dialler - will this be gsm, internet or hard wired into a socket? I will be getting Vodafone broadband but there telephone is VOIP based so there is no separate telephoen line.

 

[telectrix]

afaik, texecom do their own fire detectors to connect into the alarm panel.

Texecom - Electronic and digital security systems for everyone.

We are the world's leading provider of home and business security systems. Electronic and digital security systems for everyone.

www.texe.com

 

[JLeague]

afaik, texecom do their own fire detectors to connect into the alarm panel.

Texecom - Electronic and digital security systems for everyone.

We are the world's leading provider of home and business security systems. Electronic and digital security systems for everyone.

www.texe.com

Thanks. So that means I cannot mix and match. So best off going for Texecom for alarm and fire/smoke alarms.

 

[telectrix]

Thanks. So that means I cannot mix and match. So best off going for Texecom for alarm and fire/smoke alarms.

eggsackly. texecom alarms. liek all ithers, work on 12V for detectors. you need to use compatible devices.

 

[kropaske]

For you setup premier elite 24 will be enough. It will give you 10 zones expandable to 24 and 2 areas (one for house and second for garage or shed if needed). As a communicator I would go for smart com unit. You can self monitor system through the app. It is installed next to panel and connects to your router wired or wireless.
Also for the kitchen get heat alarm

 

[JLeague]

For you setup premier elite 24 will be enough. It will give you 10 zones expandable to 24 and 2 areas (one for house and second for garage or shed if needed). As a communicator I would go for smart com unit. You can self monitor system through the app. It is installed next to panel and connects to your router wired or wireless.
Also for the kitchen get heat alarm

Thanks.

Texecom - Electronic and digital security systems for everyone.

We are the world's leading provider of home and business security systems. Electronic and digital security systems for everyone.

www.texe.com

Looking at this then I need 2 x Texecom OH - multiple heat and smoke alarm for hallway and landing and 1 x Texecom RR Heat alarm for the kitchen.

Or should I also put a fire alarm in living room and dining room as well?

 

[UNG]

Thanks. So that means I cannot mix and match. So best off going for Texecom for alarm and fire/smoke alarms.

You could use a relay base under one of the Aico interlinked detectors to trigger a comms device as an option you also then can use the Aico Carbon monoxide detectors linked with the fire detectors if needed
I would use Aico 3000 series detectors from choice as I would not install fire detectors on an intruder alarm as it would not meet BS5839 pt1 or 6 even though the detectors are EN54 compliant
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Thanks.

Texecom - Electronic and digital security systems for everyone.

We are the world's leading provider of home and business security systems. Electronic and digital security systems for everyone.

www.texe.com

Looking at this then I need 2 x Texecom OH - multiple heat and smoke alarm for hallway and landing and 1 x Texecom RR Heat alarm for the kitchen.

Or should I also put a fire alarm in living room and dining room as well?

Not understanding your choice of a rate of rise heat detector for the kitchen if going the Texecom route an FT64 would IMO be a better choice

 

[davesparks]

Also make sure you have enough sounders in the correct locations if you are using burglar alarm smoke detectors, you need to achieve the correct sound levels with bedroom doors shut so that the alarm can wake you if you are asleep.

Personally I am not a fan of using fire detection incorporated with the burglar alarm.

 

[kropaske]

Thanks.


Looking at this then I need 2 x Texecom OH - multiple heat and smoke alarm for hallway and landing and 1 x Texecom RR Heat alarm for the kitchen.

Yes, however you could go for FT64 instead of RR as sugested above

Or should I also put a fire alarm in living room and dining room as well?

As minimum is recommend to install fire detectors along escape route(s) and in high risk areas like kitchen

Also remember when doing 1st fix for alarm - panel only have 8 zones build in so if you need more, keypad will have additional 2 available

 

[JLeague]

Also make sure you have enough sounders in the correct locations if you are using burglar alarm smoke detectors, you need to achieve the correct sound levels with bedroom doors shut so that the alarm can wake you if you are asleep.

Personally I am not a fan of using fire detection incorporated with the burglar alarm.

Well in my old property I had an alarm fitted and the smoke detectors were all incorporated with the Burglar Alarm including a telephone dialler - so I am just working off what I had before. Granted that was about 10 years ago!
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You could use a relay base under one of the Aico interlinked detectors to trigger a comms device as an option you also then can use the Aico Carbon monoxide detectors linked with the fire detectors if needed
I would use Aico 3000 series detectors from choice as I would not install fire detectors on an intruder alarm as it would not meet BS5839 pt1 or 6 even though the detectors are EN54 compliant
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Not understanding your choice of a rate of rise heat detector for the kitchen if going the Texecom route an FT64 would IMO be a better choice

Thank you for the correct Alarm needed in the kitchen - I just read the texecom website and thought the RR was better.

 

[UNG]

Well in my old property I had an alarm fitted and the smoke detectors were all incorporated with the Burglar Alarm including a telephone dialler - so I am just working off what I had before. Granted that was about 10 years ago!

I would suggest looking at the local building regs so that you install a compliant fire detection system to the requirements of LD2 or LD3 and meets BS5839 part 6. I don't know of any intruder alarm panel and accessories including the alarm cable that meet that standard, if there was a fire you need sounders that will reliably operate and will wake you if you are sleeping, even if you are intending to use battery backed SAB type internal sounders for me the intruder alarm route is not viable due to the increased costs that would be involved over buying a self contained proven fire detector and sounder that can be interlinked and linked to a comms device using a relay interface connected to one of the detectors

 

[JLeague]

I would suggest looking at the local building regs so that you install a compliant fire detection system to the requirements of LD2 or LD3 and meets BS5839 part 6. I don't know of any intruder alarm panel and accessories including the alarm cable that meet that standard, if there was a fire you need sounders that will reliably operate and will wake you if you are sleeping, even if you are intending to use battery backed SAB type internal sounders for me the intruder alarm route is not viable due to the increased costs that would be involved over buying a self contained proven fire detector and sounder that can be interlinked and linked to a comms device using a relay interface connected to one of the detectors

Thanks. Will look into that. So it's illegal to install a non compliant fire detection system in your house? I thought I was being prudent all this while by having one linked to the alarm system. I agree re extra sounders - I had 3 in total in my old property.

 

[davesparks]

Thanks. Will look into that. So it's illegal to install a non compliant fire detection system in your house? I thought I was being prudent all this while by having one linked to the alarm system. I agree re extra sounders - I had 3 in total in my old property.

It is not illegal to install a non-compliant smoke alarms in your own house, however it is plain daft and potentially putting your life in danger if it does not perform suitably during a fire. The primary purpose of the smoke alarm system is to save your life, and the life of anyone else in the property

 

[UNG]

Thanks. Will look into that. So it's illegal to install a non compliant fire detection system in your house? I thought I was being prudent all this while by having one linked to the alarm system. I agree re extra sounders - I had 3 in total in my old property.

Intruder alarms are manufactured to BS EN50131, fire alarms are to manufactured BS 5839 while there may be some common parts they are two totally different standards
Intruder alarms are not a life safety product whereas fire alarms are and have to operate in the event of a fire and provide certain level of operation under fire conditions
Illegal is a much misused word ascribed to non compliance with the regulations which in general are codes of practice which may be referenced in a number of laws where not meeting the requirements of the regulations could result in prosecution not quite sure where the building regs fall on that one for fire detection in a domestic property
While including a number of sounders in your previous system unless they were a self contained unit with their own battery so they would operate on a loss of power, failure of the wiring or intruder panel would result in no operating sounders so for me it is how you perceive the risk

 

[Taylortwocities]

There seems to be mixed terminology here. The terms fire alarm and smoke alarm are not interchangeable.
Perhaps the OP can confirm what he requires. He says "my house", so I'd expect he wants smoke alarms (+heat in kitchen) linked to the intruder alarm.

 

[UNG]

There seems to be mixed terminology here. The terms fire alarm and smoke alarm are not interchangeable.
Perhaps the OP can confirm what he requires. He says "my house", so I'd expect he wants smoke alarms (+heat in kitchen) linked to the intruder alarm.

BS 5839 is a fire alarm standard BS 5839 pt 6 deals with domestic fire detection equipment be it a smoke detector, heat detector or manual call point or a mixture of any them that sounds an alarm if a fire is detected therefore it is a fire alarm how interchangeable do you want it to be
It could be argued it is actually a fire detection system not an alarm if you want to split hairs

 

[westward10]

Intruder alarms are manufactured to BS EN50131, fire alarms are to manufactured BS 5839 while there may be some common parts they are two totally different standards
Intruder alarms are not a life safety product whereas fire alarms are and have to operate in the event of a fire and provide certain level of operation under fire conditions
Illegal is a much misused word ascribed to non compliance with the regulations which in general are codes of practice which may be referenced in a number of laws where not meeting the requirements of the regulations could result in prosecution not quite sure where the building regs fall on that one for fire detection in a domestic property
While including a number of sounders in your previous system unless they were a self contained unit with their own battery so they would operate on a loss of power, failure of the wiring or intruder panel would result in no operating sounders so for me it is how you perceive the risk

Fire alarms are not manufactured to BS5839 that is the standard for the installation, commissioning and maintenance of such systems.
BS5446 and EN14604 covers Part 6 detection devices and EN54 covers Part 1 equipment.

 

[JLeague]

There seems to be mixed terminology here. The terms fire alarm and smoke alarm are not interchangeable.
Perhaps the OP can confirm what he requires. He says "my house", so I'd expect he wants smoke alarms (+heat in kitchen) linked to the intruder alarm.

So to clarify. My knowledge of this is going off what I had installed by an accredited alarm installer - not once was it discussed that you should have separate systems.

My brief then was I needed an alarm that dials out in case of activation and he said I should add smoke and fire alarms so in the even of a fire I will be notified. I thought great hardwired smoke and burglar alarm with battery backup.

Only now am I realising on the great advice on this forum that I should have had 2 separate systems - one for burglar and the other smoke / fire.

So when I use the terms smoke / fire I really am as a consumer referring to a system that activates if a fire occurs in my house, so I apologise for using the wrong terms.

 

[davesparks]

I thought great hardwired smoke and burglar alarm with battery backup.

One issue in my mind is that the hard wiring isn't fire resistant and the battery backup and sounder aren't built in to the detector.

If the detector, battery supply and sounders are in different locations then they should, in my opinion, be connected with fire resistant cable, otherwise a relatively small fire in the wrong location could render the whole system useless.

Whilst normal mains powered, self contained, alarms with a battery backup, or even self contained battery powered smoke alarms, might look like they are less advanced or appear to be 'basic' they have the big advantage of being self contained.

Self contained alarms will continue to operate if the supply to them is interrupted and a small fire in one area won't leave the whole house without protection.

 

[UNG]

One issue in my mind is that the hard wiring isn't fire resistant and the battery backup and sounder aren't built in to the detector.

If the detector, battery supply and sounders are in different locations then they should, in my opinion, be connected with fire resistant cable, otherwise a relatively small fire in the wrong location could render the whole system useless.

Whilst normal mains powered, self contained, alarms with a battery backup, or even self contained battery powered smoke alarms, might look like they are less advanced or appear to be 'basic' they have the big advantage of being self contained.

Self contained alarms will continue to operate if the supply to them is interrupted and a small fire in one area won't leave the whole house without protection.

Which is the point I was trying to make in earlier posts