Smoke alarms and sprinklers

Fitting your smoke alarm

• Fit smoke alarms on every level of your home
  
  
• Don’t put alarms in or near kitchens or bathrooms where smoke or steam can set them off by accident
  
  
• The ideal position is on the ceiling, in the middle of a room, or on the hallway and landing, so you can hear the alarm throughout your home
  
  
• If it is difficult for you to fit your alarm yourself, contact the Isle of Man Fire and Rescue Service, who will be happy to assist

Ensure your smoke alarm carries the following symbols:

Testing your smoke alarm

• ‘Test it Tuesdays’ – make checking your smoke alarm part of your regular household routine. You should test it once a week
  
  
• Test it by pressing the button until the alarm sounds. If it doesn’t sound, you need to replace the battery
  
  
• If your smoke alarm starts to beep on a regular basis, you need to replace the battery immediately. As a matter of course change it every year
  
  
• If it is a 10-year alarm, you will need to replace the whole alarm every 10 years
  
  
• Never disconnect or take the batteries out of your smoke alarm if it goes off by mistake
  
  
• Standard battery-operated alarms are the cheapest option, but the batteries need to be replaced every year
  
  
• Mains-powered alarms are powered by your home power supply and have a back-up battery in case of a power cut. They need to be installed by a qualified electrician and, like battery alarms, they do require testing
  
  
• You can even have linked alarms installed, so that when one alarm detects a fire they all go off together. This is useful if you live in a large house or over several levels

Top tip

Strobe light and vibrating-pad alarms are available for those who are deaf or hard of hearing. Contact the Manx deaf society for more information.

Domestic sprinklers - the benefits

• Sprinklers help saves lives and reduces damage to property
  
  
• Sprinklers activate automatically, controlling or even extinguishing it before smoke and flames spread
  
  
• Reduces risk to occupants and provides time to safely escape
  
  
• Sprinklers protects your home & belongings
  
  
• Helps control fires quickly, limiting damage to the room of origin
  
  
• Sprinklers use far less water than fire hoses, meaning less damage from both fire and water
  
  
• Instillation of sprinklers can reduce insurance premiums and could save money by preventing devastating property loss
  
  
• Sprinklers are always on guard, 24/7 and require very little maintenance beyond an annual check

Domestic sprinklers - the myths

Myth 1: When there is a fire, all the sprinkler heads go off at once.
Wrong. Each head is independent and only the head(s) adjacent to the fire go off.

Myth 2: Water damage is as bad as the fire damage.
Wrong. A typical sprinkler discharges 55 litres per minute. A firefighting hose discharges over 600 litres per minute. You can expect a sprinkler to discharge less than 5% of the water used by the Fire and Rescue Service.

Myth 3: Sprinklers can go off accidentally.
Records show that the chance of an accidental discharge from a sprinkler is around 16 million to one.

Domestic sprinklers - Maintenance

Automatic sprinkler systems are one of the most effective ways to control or even extinguish a fire before firefighters arrive. But like any safety system, sprinklers must be properly maintained to work when you need them most.

• Regular servicing: Sprinkler systems should be inspected and maintained by a competent contractor at least once a year
  
  
• For sprinklers to work, they need a reliable water supply at the right pressure and flow rate. If pressure drops below design levels, the system may not control or suppress a fire
  
  
• Keep them clear: Don't paint, block, or hang items from sprinkler heads - they must be free to operate
  
  
• Log it: Maintain a record of all inspections, tests, and servicing
  
  
• Don't delay repairs: If a fault is found, have it repaired immediately - a faulty system can put lives and property at risk

Remember: A well-maintained sprinkler system protects people, firefighters, and your building. If you're responsible for a building with sprinklers, make sure you keep them in top condition - they could be the difference between a small incident and a devastating fire.