Fire Alarms for the Home (Single Private Dwelling)

Fire Alarms for Domestic/Residential Properties

The requirements for domestic fire alarms (the latest CFOA policy refers to private houses as single private dwellings) are less strictly governed than commercial properties.  For example, it is not obligatory to have a fire alarm in a single private dwelling or even to follow BS5839 Part 6 (BS5839-6:2004) - the part of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 that refers to domestic properties.

Most people will be satisfied with self-fit stand-alone battery operated smoke detectors, but one should be mindful that these should be checked regularly to ensure that the battery is working correctly.

An option is to have smoke detectors hard wired into a Honeywell Galaxy intruder alarm system but if smoke (or heat, in the case of a rate-of-rise heat detector) is detected, the Galaxy system will give the same audible warning as intruder alarm activation because the wires are not protected in the same way that they would be with a dedicated fire alarm.  This could cause confusion; you might think you are being burgled when in fact, the house is on fire - or vice versa.

The best option to protect your home and family from fire is to install a dedicated automatic fire alarm system (AFAS).  In some cases, this may be a requirement of your insurance policy or requested by Building Control inspector or a Fire Officer, following a visit during building works.

CIA’s fire alarms for residential properties are installed to BS 5839 Part 6.

Below is a table containing minimum grade and category of fire detection and fire alarm system for protection of life in typical dwellings, these tables should only be used for guidance and in no way replace the need to seek professional advice.

We cover the most of the South including Berkshire (Berks), Dorset, East Sussex, Surrey, West Sussex, Wiltshire (Wilts), and of course the county where we are based, Hampshire (Hants).

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