General
1.2 In most houses the installation of smoke alarms
or automatic fire detection and alarm systems, can significantly
increase the level of safety by automatically giving an early
warning of fire.
1.3 If houses are not protected by an automatic fire
detection and alarm system in accordance with the relevant
recommendations of BS 5839: Part 1 Fire detection and alarm
systems for buildings, Code of practice for system design,
installation and servicing to at least an L3 standard, or
BS 5839: Part 6 Code of practice for the design and installation
of fire detection and alarm systems in dwellings to at least
a Grade E type LD3 standard, they should be provided with
a suitable number of smoke alarms installed in accordance
with the guidance
in paragraphs 1.4 to 1.22 below.
1.4 The smoke alarms should be mains-operated and conform
to BS 5446 Components of automatic fire alarm systems for
residential premises, Part 1 Specification for self-contained
smoke alarms and point-type smoke detectors.
They may have a secondary power supply such as a battery (either
rechargeable or replaceable) or capacitor. More information
on power supplies is given in clause 13 of BS 5839: Part 6:
1995.
Note: BS 5446: Part 1 covers smoke alarms based on
ionization chamber smoke detectors and optical (photo-electric)
smoke detectors. The different types of detector respond differently
to smouldering and fast flaming fires. Either type of detector
is generally suitable. However, the choice
of detector type should, if possible, take into account the
type of fire that might be expected and the need to avoid
false alarms. Optical detectors tend to be less affected by
low levels of invisible smoke that often cause
false alarms.
BS 5839: Part 6 suggests that, in general, optical smoke alarms
should be installed in circulation spaces such as hallways
and landings, and ionization chamber based smoke alarms may
be the more appropriate type in rooms, such as the living
room or dining room where a fast burning fire may present
a greater danger to occupants than a smouldering fire.
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