Smoke Alarms

[Hoddy]

I thought this had been covered, but I can't find it with a search.

On a circular I've had from the bank this morning it says that smoke alarms are going to be compulsory for all French properties from March 2015.

Hoddy

[cooperlola]

http://www.completefrance.com/cs/forums/2017541/ShowPost.aspx

(I put "smoke alarm" in the search box....[:)][Www])

[Pierre ZFP]

Yes this rings a bell (if you'll pardon the pun). I have smoke detectors and a CO2 detector bought over from UK, good old Screwfix! When I last looked they were much more expensive here for exactly the same thing. I was wondering how many are actually going to install these?

[Hoddy]

Thanks Coops. I thought I remembered it, but it didn't come up in my search.

Hoddy

[idun]

All my french friends and neighbours have had them for years now due to us bringing them back for them. Unirversally agreed that they were a good idea, and just seemed to expensive years ago. They did come down in price in France later, but I have no idea as to how dear they are now.

[JohnRoss]

When I last looked some few years ago I noted that the smoke detectors sold at local bricos used a photo-beam type smoke detector whereas the ones I brought over in 2001 from the U.K. used a chamber being next to radioactive material which produced an ionizing effect so that the conduction of the open chamber changed when smoke entered. I wonder if the French allow the sale of this type using ionising radiation and are they still being sold in the U.K. now? From experience, we have both types, I would say that the ionising type are more sensitive but several sites indicate the opposite. Do the U.K. models comply with French health and safety regs?..............JR

[Hoddy]

Oh dear ! Now I've gone from feeling smug to feeling nervous. We installed our British ones in 2002. I've no idea how they operate. Is there an easy way to tell ?

Hoddy

[JohnRoss]

Geiger-Müller counter? The one I took apart had a little radioactive symbol on the chamber..........JR

PS Found this information. Check to see if the detector has a small radioactive symbol, or states that it contains americium-241 or Radium-226. If so, you are likely to have an ionisation detector.

[sid]

Hoddy

Have you just had the same circular as me (ride-on mower insurance - see other thread) from CA Britline? [:(]

[Pierre ZFP]

If you bought it in 2002 and it didn't cost an arm and a leg then its the type with a tiny speck of Americaium as an Alpha emitter it it. That's the type I have and I have no intention of changing them.

[pachapapa]

[quote user="Pierre ZFP"]Yes this rings a bell (if you'll pardon the pun). I have smoke detectors and a CO2 detector bought over from UK, good old Screwfix! When I last looked they were much more expensive here for exactly the same thing. I was wondering how many are actually going to install these?[/quote]

I've installed 3; one in kitchen ; one in lounge ; one at top of stairwell. All make intermittent squeaks to indicate battery 9 volt needs changing.