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Well, we've bought the pub and just busy getting the flat above it habitable to move in 2 weeks!

We need smoke alarms - ones where if there is a fire in the pub below then an alarm will go off in the flat above. There is no internal staircase - they are separate units.

Any idea where I'll find one?

If it's a pub I presume it will need a professional fire detection system? So surely you just need an extra sounder attached to the pub system and installed close to your bedroom?

No, it was a pub in 2009 but not now. No water or electric connected in the pub itself as they stole all the copper pipes etc and am just trying to pay to repair the flat. Will hopefully gut the pub when we turn it into a house. I need something which doesn't rely entirely on mains electric.

You can get Linked alarms, which all go off when one is triggered. They are installed using fire-resistant cable.

It is not usually a DIY job as there are odd things you need to know (e.g. they have an internal battery but are normally supplied from the lighting circuit, so you will notice if the "fuse" blows.

You need detectors in storage areas, cleaners cupboard, meter cupboard, bin area, kitchen etc as well as open ones, as a fire may take hold before the smoke spreads through the premises.

It's not something I've done.

Thanks. I have electricians on site but he's very shy

Something like this? www.safelincs.co.uk/Radio-Interlinked-9V-Battery-Operated-Ionisation-Smoke-Alarm-Ei3100RF/?fGB=true

not sure about the wireless one, although I see it says "Fully conforming to BS 5839-6:2004 Grade F" which might be OK.

In my own home I have a commercial Intruder Alarm system with some detectors connected to it, but that does not meet the latest fire standards. There might be some Conforming systems that do both.

AFAIK new builds and some refurbs have to meet building regs about interlinked smoke alarms. Your BCO will know if that's the case. It may just apply to HMOs or 3+ storey buildings; some fire regs do, in which case you will have to get an approved system installed to spec. Commercially it is usually does by specialist co's; I expect a self-certifying electrician will be able to do it, but yours might not be experienced in the job.

Here's a sample link for a wired Domestic linked detector, which doesn't seem to need a panel. The Pro suppliers only seem to do commercial systems with a control panel. www.screwfix.com/p/dicon-photo-optical-mains-smoke-alarm/19792

Thanks for your help. It's only for a year or two whilst the pub bit is out of action. I'll have a word on site tomorrow. Just occurred that there is no point in just having smoke alarms in the top floor flat if a fire breaks out below.

We have a wireless fire alarm system connected in series - if one alarm goes off, they go off in the whole house. We have a detector in every room - wooden house!

Our flat, connected to the house but a separate unit, is also part of the fire alarm system.

The system tackles 24 alarms, max 60m between each unit.

This is recommended by the fire authorities.

We live in Norway so I can't give you a link to a product in GB, but I'm sure there must be similar systems available.

Thanks. Yes, my current house has an alarm on each floor wired to mains and both go off if one does. But new house has no mains electric in ground floor unit.

if you have electricity in the flat upstairs, the electrician can easily drill a hole through the ceiling.

We have radio linked alarms in our house. They're made by a company called EI and are available at Homebase. They're no harder to install than a standard smoke detector and once they're in it's simple to link them together. We also have a heat detector in the kitchen which is also linked.

Our wireless system (see earlier post) is battery operated. Battery in each unit, no need for mains electricity. We change all batteries once a year.