Table of Contents
Advertisement
LIMITATIONS OF SMOKE HEAT
Smoke/Heat Alarms have significantly helped to reduce the
number of fire fatalities in countries where they are widely
installed.
However independent authorities have stated that they may
be ineffective in some circumstances. There are a number
of reasons for this:
• The Alarms will not work if the mains power is off and the
back-up battery is depleted. On the Ei181/184/186 alarms
the batteries should be replaced annually and when the
unit gives low battery beeps.
• Smoke/Heat Alarms will not detect fire if sufficient smoke/
heat does not reach the alarm.
prevented from reaching the Alarm if the fire is too far
away, for example, if the fire is on another floor, behind a
closed door, in a chimney, in a wall cavity, or if the
prevailing air draughts carry the smoke/heat away.
Installing Smoke/Heat Alarms on both sides of closed
doors and installing more than one Smoke/Heat Alarm as
recommended in this leaflet very significantly improves
the probability of early detection.
• The Alarm may not be heard.
• A Smoke / Heat Alarm may not wake a person who has
taken drugs or alcohol.
• Smoke / Heat Alarms may not detect every type of fire to
give sufficient early warning. They are particularly
ineffective with: fires caused by smoking in bed, escaping
gas, violent explosions, poor storage of flammable rags
and/or liquids, (for example petrol, paint, spirits etc),
overloaded electrical circuits, arson and children playing
with matches.
• Fire Authorities (including the Home Office, UK)
recommend that both Optical and Ionisation Smoke
Alarms should be fitted for the fastest response to all
types of fires.
• Smoke / Heat Alarms don't last indefinitely. For example if
there is a build up of contamination, performance will be
impaired.
The manufacturer recommends replacement of the Smoke/
Heat Alarms after 10 years as a precaution.
ALARMS
Smoke/Heat may be
15
Advertisement
Table of Contents
