Refurb Projects April 2017

BUILDING SERVICES
KO for CO
Developers and housing providers should take the lead in reducing carbon monoxide poisoning in
housing, in view of conflicting CO alarm regulations, as leading manufacturer Kidde Safety explains.
water rather than acid-based
electrolytes as well.
According to all the Regulations
and BS EN 50292:2013 alarms can
be powered by batteries designed
for the whole working life of the
alarm or by mains. Hard-wired
alarms are easily installed in newbuilds,
refurbishments or re-wiring
projects alongside hard-wired smoke
and heat alarms and together can
offer extra safety features. For
example, Kidde’s 4MCO and 4MDCO
hard-wired CO alarms can be
interlinked not only with each other
but also with the company’s Firex
range of hard-wired smoke and heat
alarms, using the unique ‘Smart
Interconnect’ feature for extra
security.
Building Regulations
throughout the UK all
require CO alarms to
varying degrees with
installation of some new or
replacement combustion heating
appliances – but excluding cookers.
A much more robust benchmark is
BS EN 50292:2013 which
recommends a CO alarm in every
room containing any fuel-burning
appliance and also in other wellused
rooms, as well as all bedrooms.
Where the number of CO alarms has
to be limited, flue-less or open-flue
appliances and rooms where
occupants spend most time should
be prioritised, as well as those with
extended or concealed flues passing
through.
BS EN 50292’s more rigorous
approach contrasts particularly
starkly with Building Regulations
Approved Document J applying to
England and Wales. This only
requires a CO alarm with installation
of certain, solid fuel heating
appliances. The continuing toll of
deaths and illness resulting from CO
incidents associated with other fuels
and types of combustion appliances
– including cookers – highlights the
urgent need for a better benchmark
than this.
LONG-TERM RELIABILITY
But apart from the number of CO
alarms, confidence in the long-term
reliability of alarms is also essential
– particularly as there are noncompliant
products on the market.
An established manufacturer with a
reputation for quality, supported by
third party accreditation, is
essential for peace of mind. For
example, all Kidde CO alarms,
whether hard-wired or battery, are
BSi Kitemarked. Kidde also
manufactures its own sensors,
allowing tighter quality controls to
be applied. And Kidde uses safer,
environmentally friendly de-ionised
MAKING THE RIGHT CHOICE
Importantly, with Smart
Interconnect all the alarms have
different, distinct alarm sounder
patterns for carbon monoxide and
fire, supported by different display
messages on the digital CO model.
So, without the need for any further
operation of the system (such as
remote switches), Smart
Interconnect automatically alerts
occupants of the specific hazard
that confronts them. It allows them
to respond quickly, making the right
choice from the very different
potential actions for either fire or
carbon monoxide.
In many situations, fitting a
battery-only CO alarm may be
simplest and, of course, battery
quality is key to long term, problemfree
performance. With this in mind,
Kidde’s self-contained 10LLCO and
10LLDCO carbon monoxide alarms
enjoy a full 10-year guarantee
covering both the alarm and sealedin
lithium battery. These alarms are
small in size with a slim profile and
can be wall-mounted or used free
standing.
They are simply activated by the
slide-on back plate, so preserving
battery freshness until needed, and a
tamper resisting self-locking
installation system avoids battery
theft. An event activity data log for
each alarm is also available, upon
request from Kidde.
For more information,
call: 01753 766392,
Email: sales@kiddesafety.co.uk or
visit: www.kiddesafetyeurope.co.uk
6 APRIL 2017, REFURBISHMENT PROJECTS