Smoke alarms and heat alarms connected together.

[Jasonss]

In a HMO - 6 bedrooms HMO (house of multiple occupancy).
This is a domestic house with 6 bedrooms but each bedroom is let individually to unrelated tenants, rather than to 1 family.
There is to be a smoke alarm in every bedroom, smoke alarm on the landings, and heat alarm in the cellar and kitchen.
Are all alarms to be connected together on one circuit, all linked with 3 core?
Is there any special type of smoke alarm needed for the bedrooms?
Is there any special type of smoke alarm needed for the landings?
Is there any type of special heat alarm needed for the kitchen and cellar?
Ive seen this specification listed with some suppliers:
Smoke alarms:

• 1 x EI3100RF: Ionisation: for landings
• 1 x EI3105RF: Optical: for hallway, living rooms, bedrooms
• 1 x EI3103RF: Heat detector: for kitchen and garage

 

[Taylortwocities]

Jason

You are asking some basic questions on a site that is designed for DIY work. (and multiple threads too).
You are planning electrical installations in a HMO and there are very specific requirements that must be followed. As well as smoke alarms, you will probably need to include emergency lighting and more.

Take some time to read about a landlord's responsibilities WRT electrical installations. Much of this is now LAW.
Here's a decent place to start http://www.elecsa.co.uk/Documents/P...s-Guide-to-Electrical-Safety-May-2011_01.aspx

Then get yourself some expert help on site to plan and design the electricial and safety requirements. You have a duty of care to get it right for your tenants.

 

[Jasonss]

thanks for the advice.
although the name sort of gives it away "diynot" i didnt really think it was limited to just 'diy' type stuff.

yes im aware of the fire and emergency lighting.
im reading through the LARCO requirements and i have the information needed regarding fire alarms etc which are not actually required.
the requirements are smokes in every room and landing with heat alarm in the kitchen and cellar.

emergency lighting may be required on the top floor however not confirmed yet.

ill read through the link you included thanks.

 

[Iggifer]

You would be better off checking with your LA directly. You might find they require certain things for your licence. Wrt both fire and EM lighting

 

[Jasonss]

i have,
interlinked smoke alarms in every room including bedrooms and landing, heat alarm in the kitchen and cellar.

 

[Spark123]

What grade of fire alarm system did the LA specify? I doubt emergency lighting just on the top floor will be adequate, again - check with your local authority.

 

[Jasonss]

they didnt specify it.
i read through the documents, and downloaded some sample layouts and specifications.
i enquired with them and they agreed that is the normal setup, however it would depend on the fire risk assessment.

also for emergency lighting, this is looked at on a case by base basis on each property. it depends on the fire risk assessment, and also other various factors depending on the house. generally if there is adequate natural light to the landings / fire escape routes emergency lighting is not needed.

the 2nd floor doesnt have a window on the landing so they said they would have to review that on its own issues.

this is what is listed as the normal grade fire alarm needed, and this is also what is listed on example layouts of the same setup:

Shared HMO with 3 or 4 storeys (shared cooking facilities) Grade D LD3 coverage + additional detection to kichen, lounge and cellar (interlinked).

LD3:
A system incorporating detectors in circulation spaces that form part of the escape routes for dwellings only.

Grade D:
A system of one or more mains powered smoke (or heat) alarms each with battery standby. These are designed to operate in the event of mains failure and so could be connnected to the lighting circuit rather than an independent circuit. There is no control panel.

 

[Spark123]

I don't agree with the natural light idea, what if a fire occurs when there is no natural light i.e. night?

 

[Jasonss]

i see your point, and do agree.
they wouldnt confirm over the phone about emergency lighting. they said its reviewed on a case by case basis and depends on the fire risk assessment.
quite often its not needed they told me.

regarding fire alarms, do you agree with the above rating?

so that would be 6x bedroom smoke alarms, 1 smoke on the 2nd floor landing, 1 smoke on the 1st floor landing, 1 smoke in the entrance hall, 1 smoke in the living room, 1 heat in the kitchen and 1 heat in the cellar (cellar only accessible to landlord). all on 1 circuit.

 

[Jasonss]

im pretty sure its classed just like a normal house or rented house regarding emergency lighting.
if you do an attic conversion, you dont need to install emmergency lighting, you just need to upgrade the fire escape route to 30 mins, just like you do for rentals and a HMO.

 

[bernardgreen]

Emergency lighting ?

Put yourself in the top floor tenant's position. 2 AM and the fire alarm sounds. Half asleep you need to get out of the building but every where is dark. No lights work ( assuming you can find the switches ). You can smell smoke but you cannot see where it is coming from. Is it safe to feel your way down the stairs ? Is the smoke thicker down stairs ? You can't see if it is. You cannot decide if it would be safer to stay in your room and wait to be rescued by the Fire Brigade ? .

 

[Jasonss]

yes. emergency lighting it is then. however i dont think its actually mandatory in all HMOs.

 

[Jasonss]

just like in this thread. they are just the same as a normal house - not different.
its still a normal house, but rather than one 6 person family its 6 non related people.

//www.diynot.com/diy/threads/houses-with-multiple-occupancy.41520/

 

[EFLImpudence]

There are regulations for HMOs which do not apply to houses of the same configuration so they are NOT the same.

You will have to do whatever the LA says you have to do.

 

[Risteard]

You need a Fire Risk Assessment (FRA).

This will show you what is required in terms of fire alarm and emergency lighting.

In my opinion it is likely you will need a proper fire alarm system to BS 5839-1:2013 rather than BS 5839-6:2013, and emergency lighting to comply with BS 5266.