Smoke alarm rules to apply to all homes in Scotland

JK-Electrical · Mar 18, 2018

Kerching!!!

I think it's only a matter of time before the rest of the UK follows suit.

I do hope that the Scottish Government includes a requirement within the forthcoming legislation that the installation of smoke and heat alarms are undertaken by suitably qualified, professional electricians only. I'm not holding my breath though. That said, I'm sure the Local Housing Associations will insist that contractors are members of SELECT or NICEIC

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-43443725

Spoon · Mar 18, 2018

All seems like a good idea. I have a smoke detector just outside our kitchen (in the hall way) and one on the landing.
If I put one in my icky-bicky kitchen then the bugger will be going off all the time.
What is classed as 'most frequently used'? I would have to have one in the living room and one in each of the kids bedrooms. Oh and might as well put one in our bedroom.. ( just to clarify 'Our' means mine and the missus.. I don't have a bedroom with you @JK-Electrical ..... not yet anyhow...)

Octopus · Mar 18, 2018

Its SO DAFT that a rewire or refurbishment of a property can happen and there is no mandated installation of such life saving devices.

All paths lead back to the DCLG in England, Wales and NI.

pirate · Mar 18, 2018

The Scottish govt. had a consultation on the regs. for smoke alarms in rented properties, to which I replied in some detail.
There were many aspects, but one was a suggestion to allow alarms to be purely 10 year lithium battery with radio interlinks, rather than having to have a mains wired one with hardwiring to the rest.
Basically, this is supposed to encourage installation of alarms as there is no concern over wiring, redecoration etc. which is maybe a good thing overall.
However, as you all know, that type of alarm is expensive, and a bit ugly...nevertheless, I install them quite often, and so, regretfully, I don't think there will ever be a rule, certainly in Scotland, that alarms have to be installed by a "proper" electrican.

Squid · Mar 18, 2018

Thought Scotland where going the sprinkler route.........

pirate · Mar 18, 2018

Not got any knowledge of that, but maybe in social housing ?

Midwest · Mar 18, 2018

Murdoch said:
Its SO DAFT that a rewire or refurbishment of a property can happen and there is no mandated installation of such life saving devices.

All paths lead back to the DCLG in England, Wales and NI.

When we had a kitchen extension ten years ago, we had to fit smoke alarms. Our lad just had ground floor extension, BC wanted smoke alarms for that bit.

Wilko · Mar 18, 2018

Spoon said:
View attachment 41435
... What is classed as 'most frequently used' ...

At my place it's the smallest room, at least it always seems occupied when I want to go there

Wilko · Mar 18, 2018

I'd like to put proper alarms in the new Casa del Wilko, but I'm somewhat stunned by the material costs. There is no simple way to connect the floors with new carpets and old artex ceilings. So I'm thinking radio, but it's just over £400 for Heat, CO, three Optic Smoke and a Controller. Maybe it's just me ...

pirate · Mar 18, 2018

That seems a bit dear? but is £400 a reasonable budget for family safety? I think it is, and you will save £££££S by not wiring and redecorating...and drilling holes in old artex with asbestos in it

I used the Aico ones, wasn't so expensive, but only 1 mains wired with 10 year battery, 1 heat, and 2 smokes, all radio interlinked, all 10 year batteries.

Just checked the last invoice for that lot...£354.92 including Vodka And Tonic, so my memory was, as usual, wrong!

pirate · Mar 18, 2018

HUH! Wrong again Pirate!!! That price was for 1 mains/batt smoke. 1 smoke and 1 heat, all 10 year batt. all linked.
Mad thing is, in that flat, you have the mains smoke in the hall, another in the living room, and a heat in the kitchen, as required by the regs...but if you ran a tape measure between them, none is more than 10 feet from the next, so if one goes off, you aren't going to miss it, and the hall one is going to alert the bedrooms no bother...

When tested, and they all go off together, the noise is incredible!

I think it's time for a small refreshment

Midwest · Mar 18, 2018

Aico tell me 3m from a doorway, and an alarm on an escape route, i.e. kitchen diner out to patio doors requires an alarm, ground floor room with just a window, no alarm technically required. Always install one of those 'locate & control' switches with base system.