Fire Safety for Loft Conversions

AKB Lofts have put together a short and snappy article to help you understand the fire regulations of a loft conversion. Don’t let potential life-saving changes deter you from creating your dream room, it can be a pain knowing the ins and outs of what you need to do but ABK Lofts want you to know that it’s all here in black and white so you can feel at ease.

Smoke Alarms

Smoke alarms are required to be fitted on every level of a house – they must be wired to the mains and have a back up battery in case of a power failure and vise versa. A fire can happen anywhere in the home, mainly in bedrooms and kitchens, but this doesn’t mean it’s impossible for a fire to start elsewhere. With safety regulations in mind, it’s a must that you have at least one smoke alarm on every storey. They are to be placed within 7.5 metres of any livable room. All smoke alarms must be interlinked to ensure that they all go off at the same time, allowing yourself and others an extended response time for a safe, reliable exit.

Fire Doors

Fire doors and fire resistant features may seem like just “another expense”, however, this is a vital regulation that could save lives. Add more security to your home and design your new asset with safety in mind. Fire doors offer 30 minutes for you to escape, with a 35mm thick door between you and the fire to ensure you will have time to get out.

Exits

It’s pretty simple really, there must be a protected area from your loft all the way to the ground floor to ensure you and others can evacuate safely. This means your fire route must be a protected to withstand 30 minutes of fire. These walls will be examined for your safety and, once given the OK, your plans can be finalised.

Stairs

Depending on how much space you have to play with, it is required to either have a conventional flight of stairs or paddle stairs as these are the only alternative.

Unaware of the paddle stair? These are used in the UK to save space but the angle of incidence comply with the Building Regulations. This is not the same worldwide and other countries may only allow the paddle staircase if the room has a solitary function of gaining access to storage. These alternate stairs can only be used if conventional stairs are an impossibility due the surroundings. If you’re unsure or need advice regarding your method of access to your loft conversion then please don’t hesitate to contact us and we will get a willing expert on the case.

Windows

Your loft conversion should be made complete with a functioning window with non-locking fasteners to ensure a swift exit. These should only really be used if your alternate fire exit is no longer accessible. If you’re wanting to open up your loft as a living area, then not only will you be safe in case of a fire but the room will appear spacious and filled with light.

Fire safety can be complex, but AKB Lofts hope you use your newfound knowledge to its full potential to combine what’s safe in your new loft space.

If you would like to know more regarding your own loft conversion, talk to the experts at AKB Lofts – our teams have a wealth of experience helping every customer to tailor their loft conversion designs to suit their exact needs.