Buying smoke alarms is not enough to properly protect your home and loved ones, knowing where to place them is equally, if not more important!
Aico are the market leader in home life safety solutions, pioneering new technologies and offering 30 years of high-quality domestic fire, carbon monoxide, and smoke alarms. They supply our wide range of alarm and security systems that have helped to keep our customers safe.
More and more people are investing in the best quality devices to keep their loved ones and home safe.
It is important to invest in the most appropriate device possible, ensuring it is regularly tested and working throughout- and Aico is simply the best for that. Unfortunately, many people do not know which device is best suited for which room. But worry not, in this blog we will be detailing which alarm sensor goes where based on their varying capabilities.
Aico Carbon Monoxide Alarm
Carbon monoxide is a colourless, odourless and highly poisonous gas that when inhaled, can instantly deplete your body of oxygen. This can result in organ failure and death. In addition, as it is colourless and odourless, it is almost impossible to detect if it is around you. Hence why it is most commonly referred to as the ‘silent killer’.
In England and Wales, there are approximately 40 deaths and 200-250 non-fatal poisonings requiring hospital admission each year due to carbon monoxide poisoning. In addition, ‘CO-Gas Safety’s’ data on unintentional Carbon Monoxide (CO) poisoning from ALL carbon-based fuels has shown that there are about 30 deaths per year, highlighting just how grave carbon monoxide poisoning can be.
Carbon monoxide can come from fires, gasoline powered generators, indoor charcoal grills, wood or coal-burning fires and log burners.
This is when Aico carbon monoxide alarms come in handy, detecting carbon monoxide gas and alerting people of its presence. It helps minimise the risk and dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning such as paralysis, brain damage, or even death!
The Aico EI208WRF Carbon Monoxide Alarm is a RadioLINK+ carbon monoxide detector with a high performance electrochemical sensor that accurately senses the presence of carbon monoxide in areas such as;
- Places that have any fuel-burning appliances – such as an open fire, log burner, gas cooker, or boiler – i.e. kitchens
- Places people spend the most time – such as a living room
- Places people sleep – such as a bedroom
It also features a pre-alarm LED system that provides early warnings of the presence of carbon monoxide.
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For a more enhanced performance, Aico’s latest series, the ei3000 range, offers higher fire protection by detecting both fire and carbon monoxide over a whole property from a single range. It is also AudioLink+ enabled and compatible with SmartLink via the Ei3000MRF module.
The Aico EI3028 230V Mains Multi-Sensor Heat and Carbon Monoxide Alarm comes with a lithium backup battery and detects both fire and carbon monoxide in a single alarm. It can be hardwire interlinked (or wirelessly interlinked) with other Aico alarms with the RadioLINK feature. In addition, it features a Test/Hush button, and an easi fit base for effortless installations. It is suitable for use in your garage and kitchen.
Aico Heat Alarm
There are many situations where a fire alarm is necessary but because of the type of room it’s in, false alarms can be triggered. Hence, we need a specific type of alarm for those areas where there is a tendency for false alarms.
A common example is your kitchen, where it is normal for there to be smoke from cooking and so installing a smoke alarm would result in the alarm going off regularly. Therefore, for spaces like your kitchen, the Aico heat alarm is the ideal alarm as it is only triggered by an increase in temperature to a point where a fire could occur. This ensures the necessary home safety protection needed without making a nuisance.
Hence, heat alarms can provide early fire warnings, even if there is no physical smoke present.
The Aico EI144E Heat Detector Alarm is the ideal heat alarm for your everyday home safety needs as it contains a thermistor that detects a substantial increase in temperature, indicating potential fire risks. It is the perfect for kitchens, as it will not be triggered by cooking fumes, subsequently reducing false alarms.
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The Ei3000 series version of the Aico alarm, the Aico EI3014 230V Mains Heat Alarm with Backup Battery is the latest heat alarm update by Aico that comes equipped with a 10-year rechargeable backup battery for a long operation life. It offers enhanced fire protection thanks to the high-performance thermistor sensor, making it the best device for detecting heat build-up from large flaming fires. This allows users to mitigate potential fire hazards before a physical fire outbreak. In addition, thanks to RadioLink technology, the Aico EI3014 230V Mains Heat Alarm can be hardwire interlinked with other Aico alarms. It also features an easi-fit tamper-proof base that enables a quick and simple installation process, saving you both time and money.
Furthermore, it is compatible with both AudioLink+ and SmartLink+, offering you an enhanced performance for less than double the price, making it a worthwhile investment for the protection of your home and loved ones.
Aico Smoke Alarm
Heat alarms are not ideal for all areas of your home in providing the speed of response required. This could have hazardous consequences. Therefore, for other areas in your home, a smoke alarm is recommended.
The Aico EI146E 240V Mains Powered Optical Smoke Detector Alarm is the perfect smoke detection alarm, ideal for the living room, bedrooms, landings, hallways, dining rooms, etc. It uses an infrared beam to detect smoke from slow smouldering fires e.g., electrical fires, alerting people of potential fires.
As this is an ‘optical’ alarm, it is not as sensitive as ionisation alarms and will not falsely alarm users when there is burnt toast or smoke from cooking, making it suitable for installation near kitchens.
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The Aico EI3016 Mains Interlinked Optical Smoke Alarm offers a higher-performance sensor that is excellent at detecting slow smouldering fires commonly caused by electrical fires. It is part of the latest ei3000 series, providing a reduced risk of false alarms thanks to its smoke chamber design, integrated insect screen, and automatic dust compensation. In addition, it can be hardwire interlinked with other Aico alarms or wirelessly with the RadioLINK feature. The Aico EI3016 Mains Interlinked Optical Smoke Alarm features a test/Hush button and an Easi fit base for an effortless installation. It also comes complete with built-in AudioLINK+ data extraction technology and a 10-year sealed tamper-proof lithium integrated battery as backup.
In line with the Ei3000 series, it is also compatible with AudioLink+ and SmartLink+ via the Ei3000MRF module.
Aico Multi Sensor Alarm
Fire alarms have different sensors to detect different fire types. Some alarm sensors react to heat whilst some react to physical smoke from a fire. However, you may require protection against both types of fires at once.
For that, the Aico EI3024 230V Mains Multi-Sensor Optical and Heat Alarm is the perfect device. It contains two sensors to provide total fire response to both fast flaming fires and slow smouldering fires.
As the alarm intelligently monitors both sensors, the risk of nuisance alarms is minimised making it suitable for a wide range of applications such as bedrooms, dining rooms, living rooms, lofts, and circulation spaces. It is also ideal for homes with open-plan kitchens and living rooms where both heat and smoke protection is required.
As this is part of the Ei3000 series, it contains the latest, most up-to-date technological enhancements that make it the most cost-effective domestic fire sensor on the market. In addition, it is compatible with both AudioLink+ and SmartLink+ (via the Ei3000MRF module).
Aico’s Radio Link Technology
A feature that really makes Aico stand out, is their device’s RadioLINK wireless interconnection technology which uses radio frequency signals to wirelessly link several alarms together. This means when one alarm is triggered, all other alarms in the system are alerted, allowing everyone to hear the alarm warning throughout the building.
We also stock Aico control switches which can be interconnected to up to 12 alarms/devices, offering you full protection throughout your home by providing real-time reports and maintenance record reminders on an easy-to-use and accessible portal. The portal allows for wireless interconnection and data extraction.
A device that makes use of the RadioLink technology is the Aico EI450 RadioLINK Alarm Controller. This is a wall-mounted control switch that can be used with up to 12 alarms. It covers fire detection, carbon monoxide levels detection, mains absent fault indication, and features test, locate and silence buttons.
The Aico EI450 RadioLINK Alarm Controller also features LED indicators which highlight the specific danger that triggered the alarm.
Which alarm sensor goes where?
If you’re still unsure about the best alarm to use for the different rooms in your home, the below is a simple general guide:
- Heat alarms – Kitchen and Garage
- Optical smoke alarms – Hallways, Landings, Living Rooms, and Dining Rooms
- Multi-sensor alarms – Hallways, Landings, Living Rooms, Bedrooms, and Dining Rooms
By fitting the right smoke alarms in the appropriate locations, you can avoid nuisance alarms AND receive the best possible protection for your home and loved ones.