Technical Booklet E and the Code of Practice BS 5839 Part 6 provide the benchmark for the number and type of smoke and heat alarms required in Northern Ireland’s housing. However, both the Code of Practice and the Regulations fail to address the problem of occupants being able to hear triggered alarms, particularly to wake them at night – an issue which Kidde Fyrnetics has been lobbying about over the last few years. The drive for improved acoustic privacy within housing is leading to better sound reduction from partitions and particularly internal doors and doorsets that can substantially reduce audibility of landing-located alarms at the bed-head where it is needed. There is therefore a compelling case for smoke alarms or sounders, interconnected with other alarms, in all bedrooms.

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Apart from fires, there is also a continuing toll of at least 50 deaths and 200 serious injuries from carbon monoxide poisoning in this country every year – but no sign yet of a regulation demanding CO alarms in homes. There are clear legal obligations on landlords resulting from civil law to fit smoke, heat or carbon monoxide alarms to existing housing – even where there is no specific Regulation. We are therefore starting to see a growing demand by homeowners, developers and landlords for CO alarms as a cost-effective means to prevent further tragedies – and hard-wired types avoid battery failure or removal.

In response to these challenges, Kidde Fyrnetics has developed the unique ‘Smart Interconnect’ facility so that its recently launched range of hard-wired CO alarms can interconnect with the company’s hard-wired smoke and heat alarms, for better audibility and whole house protection. When a smoke or heat alarm is triggered by a fire, all the interconnected alarms - including CO alarms - activate to alert occupants of danger. When a CO alarm is triggered by carbon monoxide, all the interconnected CO alarms activate. The new hard-wired CO alarms have different, distinct alarm sounder patterns for carbon monoxide and fire - supported by different digital display messages on one model. For a minimum level of protection, an interconnected Kidde Fyrnetics CO alarm in the bedroom can act as the sounder for smoke/heat alarms elsewhere, as well as protecting sleeping occupants against carbon monoxide poisoning.

Any of Kidde Fyrnetics hard-wired smoke or heat alarms can be interconnected with its CO alarm range. Particularly helpful for electricians is the company’s Slick® smoke and heat alarms incorporating a unique fast-fit system saving installers time and money. Of course, all these hard-wired products should be professionally installed, so there are real opportunities for electricians to expand their workloads - as well as save lives - by making customers aware of today’s requirements.