Where alarms should go
The usual recommendation for a home is a smoke alarm on each floor, positioned on the ceiling in the hallway and landing where they can be heard from the bedrooms. A heat alarm in the kitchen is the right choice there, because an ordinary smoke alarm near cooking triggers false alarms until someone takes the battery out in frustration.
Positioning matters: too close to a bathroom door and steam sets it off, too far into a corner and the air barely moves past it. We fit alarms where they will actually do their job.
Battery or mains powered
Battery alarms are quick to fit and suit many homes, and modern sealed units carry a long-life battery so there is no annual battery change to forget. Mains-powered alarms with a battery backup are the more robust option, and interlinked models all sound together when one detects smoke, so an alarm in the hallway wakes you even if the fire starts downstairs.
All electrical work, including mains smoke alarm installation, is carried out by an NICEIC registered electrician.
- Smoke alarms on each floor
- Heat alarms for kitchens
- Mains-powered and interlinked alarms
- Old or expired alarms replaced
Replacing old alarms
Smoke alarms have a working life, and an alarm that is yellowed, chirping or more than a decade old should be replaced rather than trusted. If yours are due for replacement, the whole house can usually be done in one short visit.
Once new alarms are in, the habit that keeps them useful is simple: test the button every month or so and vacuum the vents occasionally so dust does not dull the sensor. An alarm nobody tests is only decoration.
Landlords and rented homes
Rented homes have specific requirements for smoke alarms on every storey, and we can bring a rental property up to scratch between tenancies alongside any other small jobs on the list.
Because the alarms are quick to fit, landlords often combine them with the other bits a changeover throws up, from re-hanging a door to touching up paintwork, so the property is ready for the next tenant in one visit.
Booking an installation
If you are not sure your alarms work or where they should be, request a free quote or call 07735 852901. For other electrical jobs, see light fitting installation.
Fitting alarms is quick work, so it combines well with other small electrical jobs in the same visit, from replacing a cracked socket faceplate to swapping a tired light fitting. Mention everything on your list when you book and it can all be planned together.