flats fire alarms

[coxy84]

due to start some new build flats, do flats (3 of) need to have interlinking alarms or can they be treated as individual propertys?

 

[SirKit Breaker]

Depends on the construction of the building, type of occupancy etc, have a look at the BS for fire alarms it will give you all the relevant info on the various grades etc. and also look out for accordfire if he is in the forum somewhere, this is his backyard and he knows more than a thing or 2 about fire alarms.

Cheers.........Howard

 

[Guest123]

Do you have a spec to work off, did you have one to price from???.

Are there communal area's that require addressing in their own right???

BS 5839, your local authority & the local fire officer will all have advice for you.

 

[coxy84]

i havent got much to go off, iv got the a copy of the plans, there is going to be a 3 storey timber frame extension to an exsiting building with flats. the extension will comprise of 3x 2bed room flats 1 on each floor, there will be communal stairs/lannding that will be linked with the entrance hall of exsiting building. i belive the flats will be sold off once complete but maybe rented for a while.

i was thinking of treating each flat as a seperate dwelling with normal mains interlinked alarms, then a seperate system for the stairs/hall (communal area).

iv tried getting hold of my local fire officer but have had no luck.

 

[audi95]

i havent got much to go off, iv got the a copy of the plans, there is going to be a 3 storey timber frame extension to an exsiting building with flats. the extension will comprise of 3x 2bed room flats 1 on each floor, there will be communal stairs/lannding that will be linked with the entrance hall of exsiting building. i belive the flats will be sold off once complete but maybe rented for a while.

i was thinking of treating each flat as a seperate dwelling with normal mains interlinked alarms, then a seperate system for the stairs/hall (communal area).

iv tried getting hold of my local fire officer but have had no luck.

I would personally treat this as a L2 system, fire panel on ground floor, call point, smoke detector and sounder on every stair/hall, then a heat detector and sounder in each hall of each flat. And finally, have domestic smokes and heat in each flat independently from the main fire panel. This reduces any false alarms from burning toast etc!!!!
And If I remember, at each bed head in each bedroom you must be able to hear the sounders to min of 75db (I Think)

 

[coxy84]

i was wondering grade D LD1 system would do?

 

[Guest123]

Some basic guides for you.

 

[RexT]

Hi coxy84,

I would agree with audi95 and personally I would not suggest using a grade D LD1 system. If these were interlinked and were 'domestic smoke / heat alrms' I believe there could be a failure of the system due to unwanted alarms.
I think the advice of running it past building control and fitting a system such as a panel system to BS5839 part 1 would be better to think about. Certainly for the stairwells and communal areas.

You have highlighted it is timber framed which could be a higher risk factor in your risk assessment and also it is three storeys which I beleive pushes it towards what Audi95 has said.

Hope this helps,

Best wishes

Rex

 

[coxy84]

Hi coxy84,

I would agree with audi95 and personally I would not suggest using a grade D LD1 system. If these were interlinked and were 'domestic smoke / heat alrms' I believe there could be a failure of the system due to unwanted alarms.
I think the advice of running it past building control and fitting a system such as a panel system to BS5839 part 1 would be better to think about. Certainly for the stairwells and communal areas.

You have highlighted it is timber framed which could be a higher risk factor in your risk assessment and also it is three storeys which I beleive pushes it towards what Audi95 has said.

Hope this helps,

Best wishes

Rex

thanks, so a 4zone grade A LD1 system is the way to go, a zone for each flat and one for the communal areas, has anyone had much use with Rafiki 2 wire system? would this system be complient?

 

[RexT]

Hi coxy84,

I have not used a Rafiki 2 wire system but have heard some good things said about them. I believe that John at Acorn Fire who is on this site could help you with some advice on choices re this kind of kit.

Good advice would be to do some research first and speak to as many people as you can to get a full picture of what is the best way forward for you. There is a lot of liability to fire and security systems, so getting it right at the planning stage is very important to avoid unnecessary time wasted later.

Hope this is of help.

Best wishes,

Rex

 

[audi95]

Hi, I used Rafiki 2 wire systems, quick and easy to install but the only bad point is, you can not reset the panel to a factory default.
But other wise a very easy to use and easy to install.
I really like the multipoint heads, as you can decide what type of detector (heat or smoke) and what grade, you can even choose different volumes for the sounder.
As I said earlier, its a easy and its quick to install.
Regards
Gary

 

[coxy84]

thanks gary! ill go that way!

 

[james king]

i have look at the electricains guide to fire regs in the boss van only a quik flik through. i thought in hall ways u had to install a smoke not a heat?

 

[audi95]

i have look at the electricains guide to fire regs in the boss van only a quik flik through. i thought in hall ways u had to install a smoke not a heat?

I would install smokes in communal hall ways, but install heat and sounder in the flat's hallway with a independent domestic smoke alarms, this would prevent any false alarms which would set off the main fire alarm.
Hope that makes sense