Fire Detection Posts

Aico’s RadioLink provides council with simple smoke alarm system upgrade

Aico's RadioLink Provides Council With Simple Smoke Alarm System Upgrade

Sheffield City Council has changed its smoke alarm specification for maisonettes to feature Aico’s RadioLINK mains powered smoke alarms, which provide wireless alarm interconnection. 

The decision was made by the Council following a number of tenants’ refusal of the alarm upgrade from battery to mains powered alarms due to the disturbance that comes with fitting a hardwired interconnection.  Mark Beeley, Investment Manager, Sheffield City Council, explains: “Originally we had hard wired alarms written in to the smoke alarm specification, but residents didn’t want the disturbance that lifting floor boards and carpets, moving furniture and the like brings when running the wires to interconnect the alarms.  We solved this by turning to Aico’s RadioLINK.”

RadioLINK allows Aico smoke and heat alarms to be interconnected using Radio Frequency (RF) signals, eliminating the need for interconnecting cabling; it saves times and disruption.

“Very few residents now refuse to have the new alarms fitted” claims Mark.  “There’s next to no disruption and it’s quite a lot quicker.  There’s a little extra cost in the material, but we saved in labour costs and it has actually worked out considerably more cost-effective.”

Aico Ei166RC optical smoke alarms are being fitted in the escape routes (halls and landing) of all 2200 maisonettes owned by the Council over a two year period.  They are replacing the current battery powered alarms, so upgrading their current BS 5839-6 Grade F system to a BS 5839-6 Grade D system.

Aico’s Ei160RC Series of mains-powered smoke and heat alarms have been designed to offer social housing providers the highest quality protection for BS 5839-6 Grade D applications.  The alarms incorporate high performance 10 year + rechargeable Lithium cells to provide over six month’s back-up in the event of a mains failure.  They are available with a range of added value accessories, including Carbon Monoxide Alarms, alarm controllers, call points; and can be readily integrated with third party systems such as sprinkler and, most recently, warden call systems.

A wholly owned subsidiary of Ei Electronics, Aico is a market leader in residential fire protection in the UK.  All alarms are designed and built in Europe specifically to meet the UK standards and regulations.  For more information, please go to www.aico.co.uk.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *