Home Fire Alarm Rules – Are You Breaking The Law?
Are you a homeowner in Scotland? Following the tragedy at Grenfell Tower in London, the government sought to understand and prevent accidents happening in the future by forming a committee. After publishing their finding, they have made recent changes to the law are coming into force that mandate all home properties require an interlinked smoke and fire detection system in place.
If you’ve got a system in place already, it may not be suitable under the law unless it matches the criteria below:
How many alarms are required to meet the standards?
The standard requires:
- One smoke alarm installed in the room most frequently used for general daytime living purposes
- One smoke alarm in every circulation space on each storey, such as hallways and landings
- One heat alarm installed in every kitchen
All alarms should be ceiling mounted and interlinked. There is also a requirement for carbon monoxide detectors to be fitted where there is a carbon-fuelled appliance (such as boilers, fires (including open fires), heaters and stoves) or a flue.
I already have smoke alarms fitted in my home but they are not interlinked – do I need to change these to interlinked ones?
Yes – the requirement is to have all alarms interlinked. You may not hear the alarm closest to the fire but, by having an interlinked system, you will be alerted immediately.
How Long Do I Have To Comply?
The regulations come into force in February 2021, meaning homeowners and landlords have until then to comply. However, installing alarms at the earliest opportunity, will provide improved fire safety in your home.
Read the full article directly from the Scottish Government here.
