FAQ's

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• Smoke Detection Scotland 2022
• Inspection, Testing & EICR's
• Heating Controls
• LED Lighting

Smoke Detectors Domestic Scotland Owner Occupied 

Q​ How many alarms do I need?

A The new standards cover the main habitable room, kitchen plus circulation spaces and rooms that form part of the escape route. This is a category LD2 system.

With modern open plan living the escape route can be through compartments instead of the more traditional hallways. So a traditional flat with all rooms from the hall    ( normally 3 alarms) , a two storey traditional house with seperate hall (normally 4 alarms ). 

You need to have an alarm within 3m of all bedroom doors so that the noise produced is loud enough to be heard behind the door. Its hard to say without seeing the property when I can explain the reasoning behind the locations required to comply and equipment required. At the moment I am supplying and fitting the Aico battery alarms for £80 each which is cheaper than you can purchase from the likes of B&Q and Screwfix. 

Q How do I tell if my existing smoke alarms are linked?

A Hold the test button down. First it tests the alarm you're pressing, then it sends a signal to test the others. If not linked, they will need to be so that they meet Scotland's tolerable standard Feb 2022

Q Do my existing smoke alarms meet the standard. 

A Only if they are linked  and are within the 10 year lifespan of the alarm, have battery backup and are also fitted in correct locations. Some existing systems have faults that mean they don't comply. 10 year sealed battery alarms also now fit the criteria providing they are interlinked via cable or wireless units they are Grade F and the minimum standard for owner occupied houses below 200m sq.

Q Why does my extension have 2 alarms in one room?

A It could be the size of the room. Also, if a break in the ceiling exists that is of a certain size ( like a boxed-in support) it means smoke would be initially trapped in an area without detection, slowing down the time before alarm sounds.

Q How do I get my existing alarm down from the ceiling?

AVery much depends on manufacturer -  some twist, others require a screwdriver inserted where icon of screwdriver is pictured and then slide to the side or can be pulled down. Most manufacturer instructions are online but you can send me a photo and I will talk you through it. Some installers fit a small piece of plastic to make removal hard to stop tampering.

Q Which alarms do I recommend?

A I recommend AICO alarms because they are reliable and AICO have been market leader for years. All manufacturer's alarms take the same time to fit so labour cost is the same. They all last 10 years so an initial outlay is balanced over 10 years. The difference of paying an extra £80 for Aico alarms over 10yrs is £8 a year giving you peace of mind that they are reliable and will not require repeated maintenance. It's like most things you need to pay a little more for a high quality product.

Q How do the wireless alarms talk to each other if my internet is down?

A They don't work via WIFI - it's done through a small radio frequency transmitter, so no need for wifi. However, if you are a social landlord, mains alarms can be monitored via the internet to give you peace of mind that you are meeting your obligations as a landlord, this requires gateways to be fitted that can use WiFi or have sim cards installed if there is no WiFi available.

Q Will I need to get alarms installed?

A  Lack of compliant smoke alarms means that a property does not meet "Tolerable Housing Standard" as designated by the Scottish Goverment. The tolerable housing standard relates to a lot of different things which determine whether your home is deemed fit for habitation eg a working toilet , space for a cooker, linked smoke alarms etc.

In Feb 2022 not having the appropriate alarms will mean the property does not meet the tolerable standard. Home insurance companies may use non compliance as a reason for non-payment of a claim, not just for fire but any claim reliant on the property being in good condition - a question they ask when supplying you with a renewal quote . This would also be picked up by a home report when the property is marketed. More information on the tolerable housing standard is available online.

Please also be aware of cheap non compliant detectors being sold. Trading Standards have already contacted all registered trades people within the area to alert them and hopefully find where these items are coming from. Since the change in standard has been mentioned many companies were set up with little or no knowledge. Also please be aware of flyers / adverts through your door suggesting you call fictioius companies with premium rate numbers where there only intention is to make money from the call.

Q My house is not that old and has alarms at top and bottom of the stair. Can I add to these to comply?

A Yes most houses built within last 15 years have the escape route covered by detectors. These can be changed from the type that were mains with 9v batteries to new mains alarms. Then physically wiring across a loft or crawl space if possible to the new locations.

Or at the existing alarm locations, new ones can be fitted that are mains but have modules in them that allow them to link wirelessly to 10 year battery alarms mounted in new locations that are only powered by long life sealed batteries. 

This is a great way to stop there being any decoration issues where an old detector once was, provided the original ones are in the correct position.

Q I live in a flat does the common close need alarms?

A No the new Scottish standard refers to dwellings not communal closes. However on the back of the Grenfell tragedy some housing associations are fitting detection within common areas as part of their fire risk assesment.

Q I read that some properties have more than one alarm in the hall?

A This is quite often the case if the hall has been extended and the ceiling broken into separate areas for smoke to gather, or it could be the distance from the alarm to the bedroom door is too great so that the sound would not be loud enough to wake the occupant.

Q I've had a lot of different prices, how can they vary so much and they say they cant touch my existing alarms?

A The quantity of alarms is determined by the layout of the house to meet standards ( escape routes , main habitable and kitchen ) so this should not change unless extra detection is needed due to a high risk. A lot of companies have started up on the back of this change to regulations in order to make a fast buck. Some of these companies are buying alarms in from the internet at the cheapest possible prices without any concern over reliablity or if they meet the British Standards required.

The majority have no electrical background so will only fit battery sytems with the same knowledge as you could find  with a little research. I have come across loads of ceilings now with 2 and even 3 alarms next to each other as these companies refuse to remove existing mains detectors, instead of incorporating them in new systems. Worse still I have had mains detectors removed and battery units placed over the hole with live cables left taped up with cellotape. Please be wary and use only reputable installers especially if it involves live cabling and safety systems designed to protect you. The mains systems should be adapted to incorporate new locations with either battery or further mains alarms at the new locations.

Inspection and Testing EICR's etc

Q Why is my Electrical Installation Condition Report only for 3 years , I thought they lasted 5 years.

A They can last a max of 5 years but if the tester deems the installation to require more frequent testing due to possible deterioration they will recommend retest sooner than the maximum.

Q I can't get Building Control to give me a completion certificate on my extension because they don't have relevant electrical paperwork. I'm sure it's ok, it works fine.

A Building control require an electrical installation certificate to BS7671. Usually they deem it neccessary to receive it from someone registered with either SELECT or NICEC as this proves the installer is up to date with ammendments to the wiring regs and carries appropriate liability insurance and test equipment.They work on a risk based process for checking the documentation. With a certificate from an Approved Certifier of Construction being least risk. Then an electrician registered with SELECT or NICEC, followed by an unregistered electrician, and highest risk is from someone with no traceable records.

I can't tell you how often I have been asked for a certificate to get an extension through Building Control where an electrician or just a handy man has done the installation and vanished.

It's not possible to give an Installation Certificate without physically installing the wiring. So if the installer has not provided one, you can ask the building control officer if they will accept an EICR ( electrical installation condition report) from an electrician registered to either SELECT or NICEC . This report lets the building inspector know that the installation is safe but does not refer to what could be hidden behind walls. This is information that only the installer could provide.

Q. What are the benefits to using an electrician registered with an approved body.

A Electricians cover a vast variety of work where they quite often specialise in one area. For instance an electrician may work in a ship yard wiring vessels or setting up temporary power and not be aware of what's required by Building Standards. The same applies to a domestic electrician not being aware of the standards required for wiring a crane.

A building standards certifier of construction will have the knowledge to ensure that  the electrical installation passes building control and will get you a small discount when applying for your building warrant. (What's not to like?)

Heating Controls

Q My gas plumber says the boiler is fine the problem is with my controls and I need an electrician?

A Controls for gas boilers come in loads of variations, at the end of the day its just a series of switches that bring the boiler on. Problems can happen due to any one of the following parts failing : time clock , thermostats ( not just the one on your wall there are many temperature devices on cylinders and pipework), wireless devices, motorised valves, poor internet signals. 

Q What's the difference between an on / off time clock and a wireless programable thermostat?

A The Wireless programable thermostat ( it's just a thermostat and timeclock in one device) allows you to set the temperature to alter at different times during the day. This is where most people find it hardest to understand new heating controls as they were used to On or off.

There are two temperatures displayed by most controls.

First is the room temperature , second is the set temperature. The set temperature is what has been programmed into the controller for the boiler to turn itself on and work to achieve, this temperature can be set to alter at different times during the day. 

If the set temperature is lower than the room temperature the boiler will remain off. Hence the reason the system is more efficient as on a sunny day the boiler wont need to come on, and if it did because it is monitoring temperature it wouldn't take long to achieve the set temperature.

Wireless controls are also ideal for people with limited mobility as are systems like NEST where control can be carried out from a smart phone. 

LED Lighting

Q I Have a lot of lamps around my house that seem to be harder to find replacements for?

A The standard old style halogen bulbs are out of production with shops only allowed to sell previous stock.

They have been replaced by LED lamps which produce light a lot more efficiently and with a lot less heat. They also are instant in comparison to the first attempt at energy saving lamps which were CFL ( compact fluorescent lamp) which took about 30 seconds to reach full light capacity.

LED lighting has a variety of benefits to the customer.

1 LED's last quite often 10 times longer cutting down maintenance.

2 LED's produce the same amount of light for around a tenth of the electricity meaning cheaper bills

3 Less heat from the lamps means less chance of burning in light fittings so they last longer. 

On the flip side, quite often manufacturers are now producing sealed fittings with no replaceable lamps, so when it does fail you may need an electrician to replace.

Q The lights I bought are a different colour to the existing ones and yet the packaging says they are the same.

A The colour from the lamp is measured in K (Kelvin). Although a similar colour, one manufacturers version of a 3000K lamp may not be the same as another's. Try to match everything you can, wattage , kelvins and lumens and even angle as some lamps for spots have different angles of light to allow you to highlight areas.

Q I have seen LED tape that is waterproof. Can I use this in my garden?

A Yes it is possible but as with many LED products it may be imported and not up to the standard for this country's weather. Also the ends or where the joint is on the tape tends to be the weak spot where weather causes it to short out. Like anything if you buy cheap LED tape there is a good chance it won't last outside in the Scottish weather. 

Q The new LED lamps I bought say they are dimmable but seem to flicker when I try to dim?

A It's not just the lamp that needs to be dimmable, the dimmer itself needs to be compatible with LED lamps, so if its an older dimmer that's not always the case. It might need upgraded to a LED compatible type.