Interlinked Smoke and Heat Alarms in Scotland
Tue, Aug 16, 2022
About Fire Safety and Smoke Alarm Regulations in Scotland
Due to the new Fire Safety and Smoke Alarm Regulations, every home in Scotland must have interlinked smoke and heat alarms by February 2022. Being interlinked means if one alarm goes off, they all go off. You may not always hear the alarm closest to the fire, especially if you’re somewhere else in the house. An interlinked system will alert you immediately. If you are a homeowner or landlord, it's your responsibility ensure to that your home or property meets the new standards. This page summarises the most important alarm requirements and helps you to calculate what you need to meet the requirements. Please be aware: Only products from the same brand and product range interlink with each other.
How Many Interlinked Smoke and Heat Alarms You Need
By February 2022 every Scottish every home must have:
- one smoke alarm in the living room or the room you use most
- one smoke alarm in every hallway and landing
- one heat alarm in the kitchen
All smoke and heat alarms should be mounted on the ceiling and be interlinked. If you have a carbon-fuelled appliance, like a boiler, gas fire, or gas hob you must also have a CARBON MONOXIDE DETECTOR. This does not need to be interlinked with the fire alarms but in order to be compliant with the legislation, battery-powered alarms need to come with long life tamper proof batteries, which means you can’t remove the batteries for the lifetime of the product.
If an area is open plan, one alarm can cover the whole room provided it can be located where it is no more than 7.5 metres from any point in the room. If your space includes a kitchen area it should be a heat alarm rather than a smoke alarm.
What Types of Smoke and Heat Detector Must Have
If you chose to fit BATTERY POWERED ALARMS, they must be sealed tamper-proof units and have long-life lithium batteries, which can be up to 10 years. If you also need a carbon monoxide alarm and it is battery-operated, it must have a sealed (tamperproof) battery for the duration of its lifespan. You may be able to fit these types of alarms yourself and they do not need an electrician.
If you chose MAINS POWERED ALARMS, they must be fitted by a qualified electrician and must be replaced every 10 years. You may also need to redecorate after fitting them.
Further you need to ensure, that each alarm complies with the following standards: Smoke: BS EN14604:2005 | Heat: BS 5446-2:2003 | Carbon monoxide: British Kitemark EN 50291-1
Please be aware: The Nest Protect System does not meet the standard, as they don't meet the requirements for a heat alarm under the relevant British Standard.
How to Install Smoke and Heat Alarms
Smoke and heat alarms should be fitted as per manufacturer’s guidance.
All carbon monoxide (CO) detectors should be either:
- ceiling mounted and at least 300 mm from any wall (unless otherwise indicated by the manufacturer) or
- wall mounted and positioned at least 150 mm below the ceiling and higher than any door or window in the room (unless otherwise indicated by the manufacturer)
The Brand of Wireless Interlinked Smoke and Heat Alarms
X-Sense SD19-W Wireless Interconnected Smoke Detector
- X-Sense SD19-W Wireless Interconnected Smoke Detector with 10-Year Sealed Lithium Battery, Wireless Interconnection, Total Home Coverage, UL 217 Safety Standard Compliant.
$27.99
