DIY vs Professional Smoke Alarm Installation

With legislation now in place which requires every Scottish home to have interlinked smoke alarms, you will likely be looking at getting these in place in your own home or maybe a rental property.

Smoke alarms have until now been easy to fit, stand alone battery units, so you probably want to know if it’s something you can do yourself or if you need to call in the professionals.

In this blog we will look at some of the pros and cons of both DIY and professional installation, so you can make the most informed decision possible to protect your family and property.

What Smoke Alarms Do I Need In My Home?

The legislation states that the alarms need to be interlinked – these can be either mains-wired or battery powered.

This means that in the event of a fire, all of the alarms in the system are triggered and you will be alerted to the fire, regardless of where you are in the home. 

Read more – New legislation: do you need interlinking fire alarms in Scottish homes?

The Pros of DIY Smoke Alarm Installation

Most commonly used as a DIY option are sealed battery alarms which use lithium batteries – these batteries are sealed and cannot be changed.  Battery-powered alarms are a great option – although the battery can’t be changed, they are rated to last 10 years and don’t require any additional wiring.  

This makes them perfect for homes on multiple levels, or if you simply don’t want the mess and upheaval of major wiring work being carried out.  They are also relatively easy to install if you don’t have any existing smoke alarms in the house.

However, even though the batteries should last up to 10 years, it’s still essential that you check each alarm routinely to ensure they are working as intended.

The Cons of DIY Smoke Alarm Installation

The first thing to consider when deciding whether to do it yourself or not, is your own skill level. It’s also important that you read and fully understand what is needed, as under the new legislation a few simple battery powered alarms will not be sufficient.

It can take a little work to set them up and link them throughout the home, so if you aren’t confident in setting up such a system perhaps it’s time to call in a professional.  Also, if you have existing mains-wired alarms in your home, this may present further problems when you try to add additional new smoke alarms.

Lastly, you need to know which type of alarm is needed in each room to comply with regulations – for example a heat alarm is needed in a kitchen.  You also need to be aware of the regulations on where the smoke alarms are installed, for example, the distance they should be from a wall.

Whichever option you choose, there are DIY options available. However it’s important to be aware that many manufacturers – particularly of mains-wired alarms – will not honour your warranty if they weren’t installed by certified tradespeople.  

You should also remember that working with electrical systems can have serious consequences if you don’t know what you are doing.

The Pros of Professional Smoke Alarm Installation

For added peace of mind, mains-wired alarms are a great solution.  This type of alarm usually requires installation to be carried out by a professional.  

Wired directly into your home electrical circuit, these alarms also have a battery backup incase of disruption to your power supply.  Working in the same interlinked manner, this means that mains-wired alarms offer an extra level of protection as it’s unlikely to have a failure of both power supplies at the same time.

Similar to battery-powered alarms, mains-wired smoke alarms should be replaced every 10 years. 

The Cons of Professional Smoke Alarm Installation

Installing a new mains-wired alarm system can cause some upheaval in the home – this may be increased if you have a large home or older wiring to contend with.

Professional smoke alarm installation will be more costly than a DIY option.  Mains-wired alarms tend to be slightly less expensive than battery-powered alarms, however you have to factor in the additional labour costs of a professional tradesman.

Read more – How much does a certified electrician cost for your home?

Does a professional installation provide extra advantages?

For a start, there’s the peace of mind that the job was done right – when you consider that the alarms could potentially protect yourself and your family in the event of a serious fire, it’s important to know they have been installed properly.  A certified installer will know exactly how many and which type of alarms are needed, and just as importantly, will know which rooms they should be installed in.  

Alongside the safe and correct installation of your smoke alarms, there is also the guarantee that if something goes wrong it will be fixed at no cost to you.

Also, a certified electrician will provide you with an installation certificate which can be filed with your insurer or other stakeholders as proof that you are complying with the law – this is particularly important for rental properties or HMOs.

If you are looking to install new interlinked smoke detectors in your property, get in touch with us for a quote.