Safelincs

Hi Ron, Without knowing the exact model door closer you have it is difficult to advise you on exactly how to correct the problem, but your locksmith is essentially correct. The body of the door closer (depending on the model) will have several adjustment screws, one of which will be the closing speed and one which will be the latching action. The closing speed adjustment, as the name implies, will change how fast the door swings closed. The latching action will increase or decrease the amount of force used in the last few degrees. This allows the closer to compensate for different door latches. It sounds as though the wrong adjustments have been made so that the closing speed is at its slowest and the latching action is set to its strongest. I would assume that the fire doors on a landing/stairwell would not have latches so the latching action should be set very low (it can actually be set with less force than the initial closing so that it essentially slows down and softens). So you need to adjust the closing speed so that it is quicker and the latching action so that it is softer. If this does not solve your problem there is the chance that the door closer is damaged/faulty due to age or misuse. If that is the case and you wish to replace it, we would recommend the Briton 2003V (if the door meets the size/weight requirements) as it has all the functionality previously mentioned with the addition of an adjustable backcheck. This makes the door more difficult to open past a certain angle, meaning that if the door is flung open it will slow down past a certain point ensuring that the door doesn’t slam against the wall. It is a very handy feature to have, especially when the banging doors are driving you mad! Hope this helps Harry

Hi Mark Are you sure there is not another alarm in the room, eg a CO alarm placed in a cupboard with low batteries? Do you have a radio-interlinked base plate on the ceiling? The normal base plates do not have a battery or a sounder Harry

Hi Ian Just make sure the green light is showing when the alarms are fitted. If not, your power supply is probably interrupted eg by fuse being pulled out or by connection fault. If the green light is on I would assume an error and you should return them to the supplier. Harry

Hi David Maintained emergency lights are often available as 'switchable' units. This means that they can be switched on and off with a normal light switch. This is useful in areas where there is no requirement for constant lighting, e.g. stairwells in a high-rise block of flats, where the light is only required when somebody takes the stairs instead of the lift. The emergency lights will, of course, still come on in case of a power failure, even when the switch is in the ‘off’ position. Harry

Hi Shaun If the green light is on in the alarms, then they are at least getting power supply. There could of course still be an error in the signal cable between the units. If the green light is off I would suggest an electrician is needed. Harry

Hi Tony, I would have thought that the false alarms was linked to the shower. The slightly phased alarm start and finish are normal, especially with RF smoke alarms (is your system hardwired or radio-interlinked?). Anyway, I ran your case past our contacts at Aico who stated: It sounds very much like a contamination issue like some insect or dust getting inside the alarm, and when there is a draft that can move the contamination, causing the alarm to beep or false alarm. It would be worth cleaning the alarms by blowing through the grill parts of the cover with an air line, or can of compressed air (a hairdryer on cold setting on full power is OK), then vacuum around these parts. It would be unlikely (although not unheard of) that a spike would originate now, as this would generally be a continuing theme. Harry

We did create a little guide about how smoke alarms work a while ago. Maybe this might be helpful for readers of this forum

Hi Rhaom Yes, smoke alarms beeping for now apparent reason (especially in the night) can wear you down. Things to check: - Are the alarms less than ten years old? Once older they can become erratic. Replacement units are easy to fit - Believe it or not, a common fault is that the fuse is left switched off after the batteries are replaced, resulting in beeps once the backup battery is running low. Obviously, you had already switched on and off a few times, so this does not apply in your case. - If none of the above works vacuum out the smoke alarms to ensure dust or insects - Still beeping? Check the wiring to ensure that the alarms are correctly linked to the 'always on' wires rather the 'switched' circuit of your lighting system.In your case it sounds as if you have a separate circuit for alarms altogether, so this would not apply. By the way if you remove the units from the ceiling and remove the backup batteries, there can be still some residual charge which makes them beep. Just press the test button to drain the rest of that charge. I hope this helps Harry

Hi, that sounds like a very stressful situation and needs sorting quickly. I suggest you speak with AICO's helpline 01691 664100 It could just be an insect in a detection chamber but whatever it is it is best in this case to speak directly with the manufacturer. Harry

Please see this short guide about emergency lighting testing

Hi Melanie, A fire risk assessment should look something like this standard fire risk assessment form (obviously filled in). Many fire risk assessors use a computer based program which works with tick boxes and minimum text. For simple premises (small shops and small offices) this process is very fast. It really depends how complex your premises are. Harry

Fire door seals only start swelling at around 120 degree Celsius. That temperature is a lot hotter than you could survive. Make sure you have smoke alarms that warn you early so that you escape before the temperatures rises dangerously.

Hi I am unable to comment directly to the models you have installed but I checked out both the trickle charge (charge running to the batteries all the time) and the electricity use when the light is on (tubes + trickle charge) on two specific models: CS8 8 Watt emergency light bulkhead (with fluorescent tube): In maintained operation (always on) it uses 20W, in non-maintained (off until there is a power interruption) it uses 8W in comparison, an LED emergency light X-CSE uses 3w in maintained operation and 2W in non-maintained so quite a significant difference despite both having a 100 lumens light output. Harry

Hi Timothy Powder extinguishers will usually contain bicarbonate or phosphates. Some of these are corrosive when moist. Step one should always be to brush up or vacuum. Then mop up with a damp cloth. Soft furnishings can be a problem, as the powder eats into the fabric over time. Fabric coverings should therefore ideally be machine washed. There is a brief guidance on how to clean up after fire extinguishers are discharged. If you know the make and model of the extinguisher, we could see if we can get the data sheet for the powder. Harry

Hi Michael Other issues to check are: 1) Age of smoke alarms, as they are designed to last for just over ten years. Older alarms become increasingly erratic. There should be a 'replace by' sticker on the alarms. 2) Going off in the night could mean that the sinking temperature affects the battery power, although that usually manifests itself in intermittent low battery warning beeps rather than a full alarm. If the batteries are replaceable it might be worth putting fresh batteries in. 3) Just in case there is dust or insects in the alarm try to vacuum around the central detection chamber. Harry

If a Ei141 smoke detector is removed from the base and the battery is also removed, the alarm might still hold some residual charge and chirp. Pressing the test button for about 10 seconds will discharge the circuitry. If you can still hear beeping this must come from a different alarm, eg a CO alarm somewhere else. If the alarms are still on the ceiling with the batteries removed, the smoke alarms have to beep to remind you to add new batteries. If they still beep after new batteries are inserted your smoke alarms might be older than 10 years or your replacement batteries were flat. Ei recommends EverReady 522 or Duracell MN1604. Replacement heads (for alarms older than 10 years) can be found on http://www.safelincs.co.uk/easichange-ei141ek-replacement-kit/ Harry

Hi Andrew Water mist fire extinguishers have the advantage that they are non-toxic, very easy to use and cover a broad spectrum of fire risks. CO2 is not very effective on fire with embers and outright dangerous if used on deep fat fryer fires. Dielectrically tested foams are good for most kitchen risks, however, again they are dangerous on deep fat fryer fires and are usually toxic, so maybe not the best choice. Harry

Hi Kim This does sound risky, maybe worth pointing to an exercise we did with Lincoln fire services and social care in Louth. Harry

Powder extinguishers are still permitted but usually not within buildings due to the risk of obfuscation and inhalation. They are still used in engine rooms and other special applications.

Hi Larry Mains powered smoke alarms are tested just the same. The test button checks the electronics and, of course, the sounder. Harry

Hi Dan Yes, dry water mist extinguishers can be used on most fire types and as they contain de-ionised water and the jet creates microscopic particles rather than a water jet, they are also safe on electrical equipment. They are slightly more expensive and have only been around for 1-2 years, so you will only gradually see them around. There are a few case studies though. Harry

Hi Dgreen3 Considering the downsides of CO2 extinguishers (CO2 are tempting to play with, as they make a great noise and leave no deposit) and the difficulty of using them effectively on a 'normal' fire, I would recommend either foams or dry water mist, as long as you select foams that have undergone the dielectric test. Harry

Which model of alarm do you have? Is it a radio-interlinked base?

Hi John Wedged fire doors are definitely not permitted. You can install battery operated fire door retainers that will keep the fire door open and release the doors when a fire alarm sounds. Ultimately, it would of course make best sense for the manufacturer to repair the system, though. Harry

Hi Green-Foam The new BS5839 Pt1 2013 states: 'The recommended period between successive inspection and servicing visits should not exceed six month.' (pg 122 chapter 45.3) There is also a reference later on to say that annual tasks should be broken down into two or more visits. So, while more visits are of course possible, only two are the minimum as required by the relevant British Standard (exception: vented battery systems) Harry