NICEIC RegisteredNICEIC registered electricians · Hammersmith & all of London
Fire, smoke & CO alarms
A mains-powered, interlinked fire alarm system wakes everyone in the house, wherever the fire starts. We install smoke, heat and carbon monoxide alarms to BS 5839-6, from replacing old battery alarms in a family home to the systems that landlords and HMO licences require, and we bring alarms up to standard as part of loft conversions, extensions and rewires.
What's included
Fire, smoke & CO alarms: what you get
- Mains-powered smoke, heat and multi-sensor alarms with backup batteries, interlinked so that they all sound together
- Radio-interlinked alarms for finished homes, with no cable to run between them and little or no making good
- Heat alarms in kitchens rather than smoke alarms, so cooking does not set the system off
- Carbon monoxide alarms in rooms with a boiler, wood burner or other fixed combustion appliance
- Alarms for rented homes that meet the Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm Regulations, upgraded where you want to the Grade D1, Category LD2 system BS 5839-6 recommends
- Fire alarm systems for HMOs to your council's licence conditions, from interlinked alarms in a shared house to Grade A panel systems in larger buildings
- Alarms for new homes, loft conversions and extensions to at least the Grade D2, Category LD3 standard of Approved Document B
- A supply from a dedicated circuit or a regularly used lighting circuit, with every alarm tested and the system commissioned
How it works
Fire, smoke & CO alarms in three steps
- 1SurveyWe look at the layout, the rooms and who lives there, check what Building Control or your council requires, and give you a fixed price for the right grade and category.
- 2InstallAlarms are fitted and wired, with the interlink run by cable or by radio, and every room gets the right kind of alarm for what happens in it.
- 3Test and certifyWe test every alarm and the interlink, show you how to test and silence them, and give you the certificates for your records, your council or Building Control.
Why 2K for fire alarms
A fire alarm is only as good as its supply, its interlink and where it is placed. We install alarms as part of the electrical installation, with every alarm positioned where BS 5839-6 says it should be and the system tested end to end. Landlords can have the alarms upgraded in the same visit as an EICR.
Questions
Questions about fire, smoke or CO alarms
Do I need mains-powered alarms?
In a new home, and after a loft conversion or similar building work, yes. Building Regulations ask for mains-powered, interlinked alarms. For rented homes the law sets a minimum of a smoke alarm on each storey, which can be battery-powered, but BS 5839-6 recommends mains-powered alarms with sealed backup batteries.
What do landlords need?
At least one smoke alarm on every storey with living accommodation, a carbon monoxide alarm in any room with a fixed combustion appliance other than a gas cooker, a check that they work at the start of each tenancy, and a repair when a fault is reported. We can upgrade the alarms in the same visit as an EICR.
What does an HMO need?
It depends on the size and layout of the house and on your council's licence conditions. A shared house of one or two storeys usually needs a Grade D1, Category LD2 system. Bedsits and taller HMOs often need an alarm in every letting room or a Grade A panel system. We check your licence conditions before we quote.
Can you fit interlinked alarms without lifting floorboards?
Yes. Radio-interlinked alarms talk to each other wirelessly, so there is no cable to run between them. In most homes there is little or no making good.
How often should alarms be replaced?
At the end of the life the manufacturer states, typically ten years. Many alarms have the date printed on the side. In between, press the test button on each alarm once a month.
Related guides
Fire alarms for homes and HMOsSmoke, heat and CO alarms, what Grade D1 and LD2 mean, and the rules for new homes, rented homes and HMOs in England.
AFDDs: arc fault protection explainedWhat an arc fault detection device does, where BS 7671 requires one, and where it is recommended.
EICR codes explainedWhat C1, C2, C3 and FI mean on your report, and which ones you must fix.Need help with fire, smoke or CO alarms?
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