TomU

Where our electrical cupboard for the consumer unit and meter,etc is situated is directly under the stairs, but the door to it is only some rubbish chipboard painted white which wouldn't probably last a second in a fire. And would block our only escape route(except for jumping out of the 1st floor windows) if a fire broke out in there. Also I'm not sure if under the stairs themselves would need to be sprayed/coated with something fire retardant as well. As I don't know how quickly they would burn in a fire;at least would take longer than the thin chipboard cupboard door. And would the conducts of where the cables from the consumer unit go through the plasterboard up to the above floors need to be sealed with expanding fire-retardant foam or similar? So what material or fire door would you suggest to suit a small cupboard? 15 mins at least delay time we would need, incase a fire broke out in the night whilst we were sleeping. And could the door have something to stop the smoke escaping or getting too thick, so we couldn't see to get out. Thanks

Until we had a home safety visit from the London Fire Brigade we only had one smoke detector previously. But they could only fit two ionization 10 year sealed battery life mini smoke detectors for free. And stupidity mum choose the converted loft instead of replacing the ancient smoke detector in the downstairs hall. At least the upstairs hall now has one, as there was nothing there before. The ancient smoke detector which is a First Alert round type off-white creamy colour. Not sure of it's age but I reckon around 15 years old or older. As we moved into the house over 11 years ago and it was there from the previous people, but still surpisingly working when the test button is pressed, but how well is another matter..... It's just an ionization type and doesn't have a hush button. The trouble is I don't own the house, as I'm just her son, and whenever there is ALOT of cooking fumes it goes off. Mum takes the battery out and I always have to remember to put it back in. I did my research and an optical smoke detector for the downstairs hall and heat alarm in the kitchen would be the best option? But mum thinks putting up new detectors would ruin the new paintwork. So how effective are those sticky pads keeping up the detectors for many years? As I saw the London Fire Brigade when they came round and did a home safety visit, that they put up the detectors with some sort of adhesive in a tube. To make matters worse I got asthma and epilepsy(lucky it's the type where I don't go un-concious) and I'm a deep sleeper, so in the event of a real fire if it ever occured we would need to get out fast. Also as I'm such a very heavy sleeper and on medication for my epilepsy which makes me drousy. I think I'll have a smoke detector in my bedroom as well as I might sleep through the one in the upstairs hallway. Especially as I have my door closed at night. But what type, ionization or optical? Nothing electrical left on overnight except for mobile phone chargers. However the room next door has ALOT of computer equipment like a printer,monitors,etc that are left on at the mains socket 24/7 365. And also a vibration pad would help, however I can't have the strobe part as it would effect me. So can you link a smoke detector to a vibration pad, without the strobe unit?