Changes to Scottish fire safety legislation have led to an increased interest in interlinked smoke alarm technology, not least because this technology will soon be a legal requirement. By February 2022, all Scottish homeowners must have interlinked smoke and heat alarms installed or they could face fines.

Knowing what interlinked smoke alarms in Scotland are and what you have to do by the February deadline can help you avoid penalization and bring your home into compliance. In this article, we look at interlinked smoke and heat alarm technology and discuss why Scottish residents need to be aware of it.

What are interlinked smoke and heat alarms?

Interlinked smoke and heat alarms are similar to traditional smoke and heat alarms, only they are connected to each other via wires or radio frequencies. This enables your alarm system to form a network and act in unison when a threat is detected in your home. Meaning that if a fire is detected in one room, every alarm in the house will sound and alert you to the danger.

This technology is far superior to older, unlinked alarm systems, as these are capable of alerting homeowners to danger whether they are asleep in bed or in the shower. With traditional alarms, the sound can only be heard in the vicinity of the fire when they are triggered, meaning the noise can easily be missed. This creates a hazard for homeowners, especially when considering the majority of deadly house fires happen while victims are sleeping.

What does the law say I must do?

According to the law, you must install:

  • One smoke alarm in the living room or the room most frequently occupied.
  • One smoke alarm in every hallway or landing.
  • One heat alarm in the kitchen.
  • One carbon monoxide detector if you use carbon-fuelled appliances in your home.

These must also be interlinked smoke and heat alarms. Carbon monoxide alarms don’t need to be interlinked, but ours are to provide additional protection. All of this must be done before February 2022.

You can use our free tool to input information about your property and then we will show you exactly what you need to comply with the law. You can then decide whether to purchase the bundle with a few clicks.

Frequently asked questions

Here are some frequently asked questions surrounding the legislative changes, along with answers:

Is financial support available for low-income households?

Low-income households, disabled homeowners and older residents can apply for grants to bring their houses into compliance with the new rules. You can find more information about this here.

How many alarms do I need?

Each property has different requirements based on size and layout. The easiest possible way to determine your requirements is to use our tool, which asks you a few questions and then tells you exactly what you need to purchase.

Will I have to pay an electrician?

Not necessarily. We only stock wireless interlinked smoke alarms that are designed for DIY installation. This means that you save on the cost of hiring an electrician and you won’t have to redecorate because our alarms are non-invasive to your property.