Aico Ei3030 Multi-Sensor Fire Alarm and Carbon Monoxide Alarm with EasiFit and AudioLINK

Advanced technology has made innovations in all types of devices possible, and this includes smoke alarms; it is important to choose the right smoke or heat alarm. A modern domestic smoke alarm still performs its fundamental task of detecting smoke, but now comes with a host of additional functions that will enhance the safety of tenants, while adding more flexibility. A good example of the new breed of advanced fire alarms came with Aico’s 3000 Series, which held a range of features never before seen on a fire alarm. With the 3000 Series, Aico combined cutting-edge intelligent design with SmartLink and AudioLINK capabilities, which enabled them to interlink and share data. Clearly, a new dawn of smart fire alarms is upon us. In this article, Sparks will explain why you should upgrade to an advanced wireless alarm system - if you haven’t done so already! Different type of Smoke Alarms It may be confusing to decide which type of alarm will best suit which area of your house. Aico has this detailed guide that gives advice on the placement of different alarm types. Ionisation sensors are recommended for use in bedrooms only, due to their sensitivity and propensity for triggering false alarms. Heat sensors react to fast-flaming, high-intensity fires, without detecting smaller particles from cooking fumes. They are recommended for use in garages and kitchens, where there is a serious risk of high-heat flames caused by grease fires. Optical sensors contain an infrared (IR) beam that detects smoke particles from slow, smouldering fires. They are designed to detect intense, smouldering flames emanating from the kitchen with their intelligent IR beams. It is important that we understand the difference in alarm types before we look at how they interconnect for our protection. Why have modern wireless alarm technology in your household? Building Regulations and BS 5839-6 are examples of British legislation that require landlords and homeowners to have interconnected alarms. This is important as it has made a huge impact on fire alarm manufacturers in recent years. Many have chosen to stick to alarms that are physically wired together, however, there are many problems with these systems. The chief reasons are that they can create significant disruption, interference and material damage. This problem can easily be avoided with the use of wireless systems and Radio Frequency (RF) signals. Installing alarms with wireless interconnection is straightforward once you get your various alarms to ‘talk’ to each other via the RF signals. This can be achieved with the click of a button in the case of Aico’s 3000 Series. Look at this guide on how to ‘House-Code’ Aico’s 3000 range here, to understand how effortless it can be. The advantages of a wireless alarm system Wireless systems have many benefits over hardwired systems, some of which are: Control of large systems from one switch When interconnected alarms became increasingly popular, the average household alarm system expanded in size. The reason is simply that the features made them easier to control from a single location. Make sure whichever system you choose, it includes the Test, Silence and Locate features. These are intrinsic to a large system as you can test and silence all alarms conveniently from a single switch. This means you can quickly identify whatever alarm was triggered. Using more advanced systems, such as Aico’s 3000 Series, you could also generate a RadioLINK+ report that would give you more detailed information about any alarm triggers. The compatibility of RF technology RF technology makes it extremely easy to connect different alarm types e.g a fire alarm to an Aico Ei3018 Carbon Monoxide alarm. However, it also has the advantage of being able to interconnect with completely different devices. Modern fire alarms can be usefully linked to all manner of devices, like sprinkler systems for instance. Having a direct connection between a fire alarm system and a sprinkler system may be life-saver, and is a great example of what modern technology offers to fire alarms. Data extraction Data extraction technology has real benefits for both residents and social housing providers. They can access information on battery back-up or battery life, alarm sensor status, the number of times tested and removed and alarm activations. This is great for landlords as they can ensure they are complying with government regulations. More advanced systems, such as Aico’s 3000 Series, are able to generate an AudioLINK+ report for this comprehensive information. Aico: customer safety and convenience first It is reassuring to know that manufacturers have a responsibility to guarantee that any ‘next-gen’ alarm is easy and intuitive to use (as well as to install). We hope this guide helps you to choose the right smoke or heat alarm. As well as making their alarms simple to use and connect, Aico offers practical training and advice delivered to your home. Their Mobile Training & Demonstration Units deliver detailed smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) alarm product and technology information, and well-accredited training. Aico have taken their responsibility for consumer safety very seriously.

Home is where we tend to feel safest, but becoming too comfortable and familiar with our environment can unfortunately be fatal. In the UK, carbon monoxide poisoning (CO poisoning) in the home accounts for roughly 50 deaths per year, as well as 4,000 medical visits. An independent study by Electrical Safety First found that in fact the most dangerous time to be at home is on a Saturday at 6:30 pm: just when you feel at your most relaxed. There are multiple reasons for CO poisoning that are explained here. Symptoms of Carbon Monoxide poisoning So what are the causes of these fatalities in the place where we should feel safest? The simple answer is that people underestimate the dangers of carbon monoxide and do not recognise the symptoms which include: Headaches Dizziness Nausea Breathlessness Collapse Loss of consciousness Carbon monoxide is a very conspicuous enemy. It has come to be nicknamed ‘the silent killer’ for a variety of reasons: colourless, odourless and tasteless, there are few warning signs that your home and lives could be at risk. Even actions that can seem insignificant can lead to devastating results, so we at Sparks wish to advise on important precautions and recommend the best carbon monoxide detectors we have to offer. Above all other products, these life-saving devices have to be a priority when thinking about setting up your home fixtures. Preventing Carbon Monoxide deaths with CO detectors Take the story of Emma Jackson, whose father tragically died of CO poisoning on a business trip when she was a young girl. It's extremely important that there is an awareness of the signs of carbon monoxide poisoning.... if my story encourages just one person to get a carbon monoxide alarm it will have been worthwhile. That is why having a working carbon monoxide detector in your home is absolutely essential: it really is your first and last line of defence against carbon monoxide poisoning. Roughly 250,000 homes are likely to experience dangerous levels of carbon monoxide rates. There is a highly helpful Twitter campaign called ‘Press to Test’, which encourages people to test their carbon monoxide alarms on a regular basis. Remember also that it is important to be able to instantly recognise the tone of your CO alarm, and taking part in the 'Press to Test' campaign ensures you will. However, first things first: have you got a quality carbon monoxide detector with potential life-saving abilities? Sparks sell a brilliant range of Aico monoxide detectors, which come with a variety of ranges and power sources, as well as battery back-ups.Carbon Monoxide isn't the only killer: other dangers at home It’s easy to get complacent at home. Haven't most of us been guilty of overloading sockets to appliances that are still plugged in? When you take out your power tool for a bit of home DIY, is your first thought about ensuring you have proper Residual Current Device (RCD) protection?  Electrical fires caused by these mistakes are a major killer and should also be considered as seriously as Carbon Monoxide death prevention. We at Sparks sell a range of top-end RCD devices that can stop these easy-to-make mistakes disastrously fatal. Further references Information on deaths and hospitalisation caused by carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning  (via the Telegraph) Information on when carbon monoxide poisoning is most likely to happen and preventative measures (via Electrical Safety First) Social media efforts to raise awareness (via Twitter) Tips on preventing electrical fires (via Electrical Safety First) Explaining home-based electrical deaths (via Explain That Stuff)

On the 21st of June this year there was the annual Clean Air Day, and the people at Global Action Plan have launched a new campaign to raise awareness of the problem of indoor air pollution inside UK homes. Whether we sense this or not, there's a "cocktail of toxic air pollution" inside our homes unless there is proper ventilation, and we all are encouraged to take steps to improve the air we breathe indoors. It really helps to open the windows and leave them open regularly to eliminate some of the pollution and condensation, but at the same time there has to be proper ventilation inside the homes. The quality of the indoor air can be very low when there are gas stoves, wood burners, nail varnish being used, deodorant being sprayed, candles being burned, cleaning products used around the house, and soft furnishings. Since we spend quite a lot of time indoor, it is good to make sure the quality of the air is good, and for this ventilation is a must! Indoor Air Pollution and its Impact on our HealthThe research conducted in advance of Clean Air Day has found some astounding and shocking results, and the impact of air pollution on our health is worrying. Furthermore, based on the study of the RCPCH (Royal College of Pediatrics and Child Health) and RCP (Royal College of Physicians) on the potentially harmful impact of indoor air pollution, there are some findings that we also list below. Less than 40% of adults are aware of the effects of indoor air pollution on their health; most UK adults are familiar with the effects of the outdoor air pollution, but not so many know of the indoor air pollution. 60% of people are not aware of the actions they can take to reduce indoor air pollution. Improving the ambiance of our homes includes such things as burning candles and using air fresheners, which are a source of air pollution. 15% of the surveyed people identified smelly food as the key source of indoor air pollution. Many do not realize the effects of hairspray and fake tans on our health due to the air pollution. Indoor air pollution is affecting our lives, our pets, our family, our children, our health, and our well-being. Children spend 80% of their time indoors and, with the increasing desire to "conserve heat" with the "sealing of homes", pollution exposure indoors is becoming a major issue for children's health and development. More than two million healthy life years are being lost across the EU annually, and there are over 9000 deaths a year due to indoor air pollution. In England, the proportion of households living in a dwelling with damp is three times higher for those in the lowest income group, compared with those in the highest income group. The impact of indoor air pollution on our health is not as well researched and documented as the impact of the outdoor air pollution on our health. Because many people spend 90% of their time indoors - many times in poorly ventilated homes - they are exposed to a wide range of air pollutants such as formaldehyde and a cocktail of volatile organic compounds (as per Prof. Stephen Holgate, Medical Research Council, Professor at the University of Southampton, see reference link below). The poor air quality in the homes all across the UK can also cause or amplify illnesses and conditions such asthma, thus having a negative impact on our quality of life. Tips for Improving your Indoor Air Quality As this is an ongoing issue with much research and study being done in the UK and around the world, the tips and steps to improve indoor air quality are small and seemingly insignificant, but once they are implemented, our air quality indoor is improved and our quality of life is elevated. Here are some tips for reducing air pollution indoors: Open your windows when you are cooking or when you are using cleaning products. This helps ventilate the house and avoid air pollution in the home, and it also helps avoid the build-up of air polluting moulds too. Service your boiler regularly, for the CO (Carbon Monoxide) emanated from faulty boilers and heaters can be fatal. Consider how you clean your home. Keep the dust levels low, use naturally scented and even fragrance-free products, and avoid aerosols. When burning fuels or wood on the barbecue or stove, burn smokeless fuels or dry, well-seasoned wood, for the pollution from burning fuels damages the air in your home and to those who live nearby. Reduce the consumption of energy to reduce air pollution! Gas and electricity are big contributors to air pollution, for gas creates fumes and electricity has the same result. It is best to do things to conserve energy (switch off the lights, fill the kettle only with the amount of water needed, run the dishwasher or washing machine only when it's full, etc) and thus reduce electricity and gas bills, while at the same time reducing indoor air pollution. Choose renewable energy-saving tariffs for your home supply, even if this means switching energy suppliers, so that you may reduce the pollution produced by power stations. Recycle compostable and save the wood-burning for rough winters. Instead of burning your garden waste, why not compost it and turn it into food for the plants. Instead of burning wood in the stove, use it only when the winter is tough, to reduce air pollution. Ventilate, ventilate, ventilate! Make sure you have a bathroom ventilation fan, a kitchen fan, and even a whole house ventilation system, so that the air in the home may circulate, the vapors may be removed, the pollutants may be eliminated, and the air quality may be improved. Eat properly and exercise properly. Our health is not determined merely by the quality of air indoors but especially by the food we eat, the amount of exercise we do, the sleep we have, and many other items. As much as it depends on us, it is good to eat a healthy diet and have adequate physical exercise to improve our quality of life, and be aware of the indoor air quality to improve it. On our website we offer a wide range of Envirovent, Airflow, and Manrose kitchen fans, bathroom ventilation fans, whole house ventilation systems, and heat saving systems. Here are some further references to this article, where you can find out more on how to reduce pollution at home and improve air quality in the home: Improve your indoor air quality with Airflow Clean Air raises awareness of indoor air pollution (via Envirovent) There's a cocktail of toxic air pollutants inside the homes (via CleanAirDay) A major study was done to look at indoor air pollution (via, Air Quality News) Asthma Deaths Rise 25% amid growing air pollution crisis (via the Guardian) Protect children from toxic fumes with ‘keep clear’ signs at our bus stops, says father (via, Evening Standard)