Inner Room

[empiric]

Hi,

I own a first floor flat in a small apartment block. The flat has two bedrooms. One bedroom has direct access to the flat's hall. The other bedroom only has access to the hall via the drawing room. Would it be acceptable if I fitted interlinked combined heat & smoke alarms in the hall, drawing room and both bedrooms, together with an interlinked heat alarm in the kitchen.

Thanks

[nearlythere]

Hi,

I own a first floor flat in a small apartment block. The flat has two bedrooms. One bedroom has direct access to the flat's hall. The other bedroom only has access to the hall via the drawing room. Would it be acceptable if I fitted interlinked combined heat & smoke alarms in the hall, drawing room and both bedrooms, together with an interlinked heat alarm in the kitchen.

Thanks

More of being a very good idea than being acceptable if you get my drift. The level of cover is very much up to you but the level you describe is well above minimum domestic. Normally bedrooms should not be inner rooms but it's your flat and therefore your castle.

[empiric]

Thanks for the reply. My intention is to let the flat in a few months time, so it will then no longer be my castle; would the level of protection that I propose then be acceptable?

[nearlythere]

Thanks for the reply. My intention is to let the flat in a few months time, so it will then no longer be my castle; would the level of protection that I propose then be acceptable?

From the point of view of letting the flat there are other considerations. What is the construction of the building and the level of seperation between dwellings? Is there a smoke detection system in the common areas of the building? Has a fire risk assessment been carried out of common areas?

[empiric]

From the point of view of letting the flat there are other considerations. What is the construction of the building and the level of seperation between dwellings? Is there a smoke detection system in the common areas of the building? Has a fire risk assessment been carried out of common areas?

The building is a large converted terrace house built of stone. The walls between each house are several feet thick. The ceilings are of lath and plaster construction. A fire assessment has been carried out for the common areas. We have to install a linked fire alarm system with smoke detectors in the common areas, a control panel and emergency lighting. Linked to this system we have to have a heat alarm in the hall of each flat. In addition we have to upgrade the front doors of each flat to the appropriate fire rating.

[nearlythere]

From the point of view of letting the flat there are other considerations. What is the construction of the building and the level of seperation between dwellings? Is there a smoke detection system in the common areas of the building? Has a fire risk assessment been carried out of common areas?

The walls between each house are several feet thick.

Do you mean between each flat?

[empiric]

From the point of view of letting the flat there are other considerations. What is the construction of the building and the level of seperation between dwellings? Is there a smoke detection system in the common areas of the building? Has a fire risk assessment been carried out of common areas?

The walls between each house are several feet thick.

Do you mean between each flat?

The flat occupies the whole floor of the house. It’s a terrace house and the wall between each house are several feet thick

[nearlythere]

The Fire Risk Assessor seems to be happy with the level of seperation between each flat and your proposal in relation to the detection inside the flat is good. The inportant areas for detection cover is the escape corridor and the drawing room which is the escape route for the bedroom. You are providing a very high level for a domestic situation which is good. There are however some other issues in relation to the inner room which should be looked at.
Was the building convertion passed by Building Control especially with regards to the bedroom being an inner room condition?

[empiric]

Was the building convertion passed by Building Control especially with regards to the bedroom being an inner room condition?

The building conversion took place in 1977, well before I bought the flat and, although I know there was planning permission , I do know if there was any stipulations with regard to fire safety   

[nearlythere]

Was the building convertion passed by Building Control especially with regards to the bedroom being an inner room condition?

The building conversion took place in 1977, well before I bought the flat and, although I know there was planning permission , I do know if there was any stipulations with regard to fire safety   

Not sure what the Building Control standards were then but maybe someone older than me might be able to comment. Sleeping inner room probably acceptable then with a window of unobstructed opening not less than 850 mm by 500 mm with the bottom of any window opening not more than 1 100 mm above the floor of the room in which it is situated.
Current guidance says:-
Where the inner room is any other type of habitable room (for example a living room, sleeping room, workroom or study) it should only be accepted if:
• the inner room has access to a suitable door opening onto an alternative safe route of escape, or it is situated on a floor which is not more than 4.5m above ground level and has an escape window leading directly to a place of ultimate safety;
• an adequate automatic fire detection and warning system is in place (see paragraphs 22-25); and
• a fire-resisting door of an appropriate standard is fitted between the inner and outer rooms (typically FD30S standard for non-high-risk outer rooms).

[empiric]

Current guidance says:-
Where the inner room is any other type of habitable room (for example a living room, sleeping room, workroom or study) it should only be accepted if:
• the inner room has access to a suitable door opening onto an alternative safe route of escape, or it is situated on a floor which is not more than 4.5m above ground level and has an escape window leading directly to a place of ultimate safety;
• an adequate automatic fire detection and warning system is in place (see paragraphs 22-25); and
• a fire-resisting door of an appropriate standard is fitted between the inner and outer rooms (typically FD30S standard for non-high-risk outer rooms).

Does this mean that all 3 bullet points have to be met or does it mean that it would be acceptable to meet only the last 2 bullets

Thanks

[nearlythere]

Current guidance says:-
Where the inner room is any other type of habitable room (for example a living room, sleeping room, workroom or study) it should only be accepted if:
• the inner room has access to a suitable door opening onto an alternative safe route of escape, or it is situated on a floor which is not more than 4.5m above ground level and has an escape window leading directly to a place of ultimate safety;
• an adequate automatic fire detection and warning system is in place (see paragraphs 22-25); and
• a fire-resisting door of an appropriate standard is fitted between the inner and outer rooms (typically FD30S standard for non-high-risk outer rooms).

Does this mean that all 3 bullet points have to be met or does it mean that it would be acceptable to meet only the last 2 bullets

Thanks

Technically all bullet points should be met. You can plead mitigating circumstances in that the layout complied with Building Control at the time, maybe?
The level of detection you are installing is of a very high spec for a domestic situation.
The access room is not an area of high fire risk.
Provide the fire door between the two rooms.

[empiric]

Technically all bullet points should be met. You can plead mitigating circumstances in that the layout complied with Building Control at the time, maybe?
The level of detection you are installing is of a very high spec for a domestic situation.
The access room is not an area of high fire risk.
Provide the fire door between the two rooms.

Thank you very much for your help, I now know what the requirements are.

Thanks again