Product category:
Fire and Smoke Protection, Detection and Alarms
News Release from: Aico | Subject: Ei160 Series
Edited by the Buildingtalk Editorial
Team on 24 January 2005
Tenants go for mains powered smoke
alarms
New wireless technology helps overcome tenant resistance to mains powered smoke alarms.
Waterloo Housing Association has discovered a way to increase their tenants' willingness to have mains powered smoke alarm systems installed, thanks to new RadioLink wireless technology from Ei and Aico "We take tenant safety very seriously," says Glynis Hampton, Project Management Officer for the Sutton Coldfield-based Housing Association
This article was originally published on Buildingtalk on 23 Sep 2003 at 8.00am (UK)
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"We have a duty of care towards our tenants and don't feel that battery-powered smoke alarms give sufficient protection, as confirmed by recent developments in legislation".
" That's why Waterloo has been engaged in a rolling programme of upgrades from battery to mains powered protection in our properties".
"However, installing mains powered alarms with full hard wired interconnection can involve a lot of disruption for tenants.
Further reading
North Cornwall 3 Phase Fire Safety Initiative
North Cornwall District Council has commenced a three phase initiative to install Ei160 series mains powered smoke alarms supplied by Aico Limited into all of its 3,500 properties.
First Choice Homes Chose Ei Smoke Alarms
First Choice Homes of Oldham is currently fitting 14,500 properties with approximately 20,000 Ei160 Series Easi-Fit mains powered smoke alarms from Aico Limited.
Floors may have to be taken up and trunking fitted to disguise wiring.
We were encountering some resistance and having access problems".
" The Association had already decided to standardise on Ei160 series mains powered smoke alarms with ten year Lithium cell back-up, and turned to supplier Aico to see whether it had any answers to the problem".
" It had! Ei Professional had just developed RadioLink, a unique smoke alarm base that allows all the mains-powered alarms on a system to be interconnected by radio waves rather than hard wiring".
"We agreed to trial it," recalls Glynis Hampton.
"In fact, we took the first batch off the production line! We then sent a leaflet around to tenants explaining that the RadioLink system didn't require hard wiring being laid down all over the place and this did help both with tenant reluctance and access issues".
"Fitting RadioLink mains-powered smoke alarms from Ei had another benefit too".
" Waterloo had not expected to finish its installation programme on the 178 designated properties until the end of August 2004".
" However, because RadioLink was much faster to install, all the work was complete by the end of June - some two months early".
" Installation was carried out by independent contractor Newey Electrical, with ionisation and optical alarm types being selected as required for each individual application".
" Ei160 Series Easi-Fit alarms were used with the RadioLink bases.
"The wireless technology costs more," comments Glynis Hampton, "but we've got a better product and we've been able to stick with the Ei160 Series of alarms that we'd standardised on.
We'll also save money in the long term.
We believe that each installation with RadioLink saves between an hour and a half to two hours of installer time".
" "We've had no problems at all with any frequency issues".
" Everything's essentially the same but with no trunking and redecoration required - and our tenants are a lot happier.".
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