Safelincs

Hi, we offer some extinguisher servicing tools However, our sister company Actfire specialises on tools for service engineers and has more tools and spares. Harry

Hi, representing Safelincs, I am, of course, a bit biased but I will try my best. For the Grade D system I would choose the new Fireangel Pro series, as they offer a 'Sleep-Easy' function which goes some way in overcoming low battery beeps in the middle of the night, which is something that plagues other models. For the Grade A system, as you presumably have a fairly simple layout (one alarm zone per floor with not too many floors), the most cost efficient solution in terms of equipment costs is a conventional fire alarm system. Installation costs are a bit higher than for an addressable system but as long as you just have a few landings to monitor, this is a good and economic option. It is best to sit down with your electrician and run through the few sub-options (eg two wire or four wire panel) to optimise the installation costs. You can then order the panel and detectors etc for your electrician to install. Harry

Hi, it is unlikely that cigarette smoke would be dense enough to trigger an alarm. Check the replace-by date on the CO alarm to make sure it is not too old. Do you have a gas boiler, gas heater, solid fuel fire? Do your neighbours have any of these and do their lofts connect with yours? leaking chimney stacks in the loft area can spread CO. For further info, see http://www.carbonmonoxideinfo.co.uk/ Harry

Hi Barbara I struggled to understand what was happening with your alarms, so I contacted Aico for advice: 'If you take the small attachment of the vacuum cleaner and hover round the vents of the Alarms, as there is Dust contamination within the Sensor of the Alarms. Once you have done all this, slide the Alarm back on to its base plate. Press the Test button for at least 10 Seconds until the other Alarms sound as well. Hopefully you shouldn't experience any more beeps. Always use the Batteries that have been recommended. Use the Ever Ready 522/ Duracell MN1604. Other Batteries can nuisance As to the possible cause of the beeping you have been experiencing. It may be down to another device in the property. We would recommend checking if you have old Battery Smoke Alarm or another device in the property that may be the cause of the beeping. Also check the Wiring as there may be a loose connection. You will need to consult an Electrician in your area' I hope this helps Harry

Hi Elise, The Government guide ‘Do You Have Paying Guests?’ https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/11085/payingguests.pdf states on page 14 that: One extinguisher on each floor near the stairs and a fire blanket in the kitchen should be enough in most small premises. You will need to make sure that the instructions on how to use them are clear and that there is a warning to people not to tackle anything other than a very small fire. Evacuating the premises is the safest thing to do. They go on to tell you about multi-purpose fire extinguishers available from most DIY outlets, but multi-purpose extinguishers are ABC powder fire extinguishers and since the publication of this document powder has been deemed unsuitable for indoor use by the British Standards regarding fire extinguisher provision. Assuming that the 1983 extinguisher you currently have has never been serviced I believe it would be unreliable so it would be best to replace it. Water Mist extinguishers are suitable for most types of fire (they certainly cover everything a multi-purpose extinguisher would have), are safe for use on live electrics, are low pressure, filled with pure de-ionised water making them completely non-toxic and leave no residue http://www.safelincs.co.uk/1-litre-water-mist-fire-extinguisher/ Maintenance of fire extinguishers is also highly advisable as you cannot be sure that the extinguisher you have installed is actually in working order. If there was fire and someone was seriously injured, the fire officer would look into any fire safety provisions you have made and would certainly question any that haven’t been made! Harry

Hi Sam The E-series dry water mist can be re-charged like any other extinguisher. You have to make sure that only de-ionised water is used, as it prevents bacteria growth and prevents the flow of any current if used on live electrical equipment. The refill should be carried out by a competent person, only, as high pressure is involved. Harry

Hi David, What you are experiencing is the low battery warning beep for the backup battery. These need replacing every so often in the Ei140 models. It is the mains power that operates the alarm. The battery will only power the alarm if the mains power is interrupted. Harry

Hi Bryan, this help guide might be handy. Try also the following steps: - check that the green light is on (mains power live). Did you switch off the fuse for the battery change and left it switched off? - take the alarm off again and take it out of room. Does the beeping in the room stop? If no, then there is maybe a CO alarm with low battery hidden in a drawer. This happens quite often. - you mention that this is the second alarm that was faulty in the same circuit. How did you resolve the last faulty alarm? Does your alarm have the red light on? Harry

Hi David, make sure the power supply is properly interrupted at the fuse box before you attempt any work on the connector! If in any doubt you must call out an electrician. Harry

Hi, if green is on as well, the red could be the initial self test, although it should only blink every 40 seconds. If green is not on, make sure the fuse has been switched back on Harry

Hi, please see the detailed article http://www.safelincs.co.uk/pfp-furniture/ also, you can find discussions of similar type in this forum. Harry

Hi Stacey, you need to check if there is another alarm in the room, maybe a CO alarm hidden in a drawer. Without the battery your alarm is unlikely to beep. Let me know how you get on, please. Harry

Hi Ian, this is a long standing discussion. The British Standard requests extinguishers for most areas, almost ignoring the user's capability and on the other side the fire services sometimes recommend the removal of extinguishers altogether. Please see our article about the topic. In your case, I would assume that your staff, even without any training, would be able to put out a small fire in a waste basket and that overall this would serve the safety and well-being of your residents more than risking an evacuation and the possible destruction of the building. It might be a good idea to give your staff some very basic fire extinguisher training which is offered by most servicing companies or can be ordered as a training packet over the internet. You could also replace the water extinguishers with a more broad spectrum extinguisher such as 'dry water mist extinguishers'. These can be used on live electrical equipment and also cause the minimum damage if used on people on fire or on soft furnishing. Harry

Hi Emma, this sounds pretty awful to happen, especially at this time of year! I saw from your youtube comment that you have finally found our Youtube video showing how to remove the Ei141 smoke alarm https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-hWd6 If that does not work there is sadly nothing that can be done other than forcing the unit from the ceiling, which is dangerous and can damage your ceiling, of course. We are trying to convince our suppliers that the change of units or batteries should be easy, especially if the building is owner occupied. We also are pushing them for quite a while now to introduce low battery warnings that only bleep in daytime. This is particularly important as batteries are dropping in charge at night when it is cooler! Fireangle has now introduced a 'sleep-easy' function that at least allows the user to silence the alarm for 8 hours. Harry

Hi, the base itself has no sounder, so once the head is removed that is it. You can test the interconnection by pressing the test button on one of the alarms for 10-20 seconds and see if all other alarms sound as well. The easiest replacement without the need for an electrician is the easichange smoke alarm, which is made by Ei, the original smoke alarm manufacturer. Harry

Hi Claire, personally I would find that unacceptable. There is not really a harmless level of CO, as every CO molecule can basically block a red blood cell from transporting oxygen. Harry

Hi Daisy They probably are flashing every 40 seconds but it is a very quick flash (blink and you miss it). The fact it is testing and the green lights are on would suggest everything is fine though Harry

Hi, is the alarm a continuous alarm, if not it might be an error message, eg low battery? How old is the unit, most need replacing after 5 to 10 years? Are there any battery chargers in the room, as the hydrogen from eg a car battery charging can trigger the alarm. Are there any neighbouring sources of CO, eg a neighbour's vent or a neighbour's chimney that could spill into your property through the loft area? Harry

Hi Pia, I have a similar arrangement and have been using an optical smoke alarm for a long time without false alarms. Harry

Hi Jeanette You can, of course, install emergency lighting in domestic homes. There are nice looking models available. Circular emergency lights or spots might be suitable. A low cost option might be emergency torches which come on in case of a power cut. Harry

I asked Fireangel for a reply. Here it is 'The customer queries that the Power LED is not illuminated, yet the alarm is still testing (giving the audible signal). That means that the LED will be working. However, as this LED is green and will only flicker once a minute. (it can easily be missed, especially in normal daylight). We usually advise to place the alarm into a darkened room and wait a couple of minutes – every customer that does this, will then agree that yes, they can see the green light. The other option to show that the green LED does work, is to put the unit into Hyper Sensitive mode, see manual http://www.safelincs.co.uk/templates_safelincs/files/datasheets/1524_Fire%20Angel%20CO-9B%20User%20Manual.pdf. This will allow the green LED to flash continuously for a 4 minute period (therefore showing the LED works).'

It is certainly dangerous behaviour; to start with you should explain the importance of the fire exit and give the person a written instruction. With regards to disciplinary progression you need to speak with employment lawyers. Harry

Hi Rose Please check the age of the alarms, as they should be replaced after ten years. If they are older, use easichange replacement heads for a swap without needing an electrician http://www.safelincs.co.uk/replacement-smoke-and-heat-alarms/ If they are not ten years old yet, vacuum them out thoroughly to remove any dust that has built up inside. Harry

Hi, check first of all that there is no Carbon Monoxide alarm in the room with a low battery! Then replace batteries in all your existing smoke alarms. If that does not help, see if you can claim new ones based on the warranty of the house. Then replace all three alarms. Mixing is not likely to work. The Easichange http://www.safelincs.co.uk/replacement-smoke-and-heat-alarms/ scheme is only available for the Irish made Aico smoke alarms. Harry

Hi David This varies, see data tabs of water based extinguishers http://www.safelincs.co.uk/water-fire-extinguishers/ Commonly, the discharge range is 6m for water based extinguishers Harry