TAS-33 Thatch Alert - Reduce your insurance premium by up to 40 %

The Thatch Alert Chimney Monitor System has been specifically designed to monitor the temperature of the chimney brickwork at the point where it meets the thatch.

The system acts as an early warning device to inform the home owner of potential high temperatures.




The Facts

Many thatch fires have been accredited to wood burners, multi-fuel stoves, flue malfunction and poorly maintained chimneys.

Studies show that wood burners and multi-fuel stoves being installed into thatched properties are a major cause of thatch fires. This is mainly due to faulty flues, poorly or incorrectly fitted liners, combined with high flue gas temperatures being generated by these efficient stoves.

Wood burners and multi-fuel stoves can generate flue gas temperatures of between 300ºC and 600ºC; this in turn can be transferred through the brickwork of the chimney to the thatch, this is known as Heat Transfer.

Heat Transfer has been indentified as one of the main causes of thatch fires. In many cases the risk of Heat Transfer has been further increased by the use of wood burners and multi-fuel stoves. Heat Transfer happens at the point the thatch meets the chimney; this is due to the insulating properties of thatch.

Properties with normal open fires can also suffer from the effects of Heat Transfer, therefore consideration should also been given to these properties with regard to the installation of the Thatch Alert Chimney Monitor System.

Heat Transfer Diagram                                                  

The Heat Transfer process can cause thatch to smoulder and ignite if temperatues in excess of 200ºC are reached.

The Heat Transfer Diagram represents the temperature within the thatch resulting from an average flue gas temperature of 300ºC and a thatch depth of 1m.

Colour code for Heat Transfer diagram: 
Red                   250ºC
Yellow               200ºC
Green                150ºC
Pale Blue           100ºC
Mid Blue            50ºC
Dark Blue represents the ambient temperature of thatch

Supplied by: The National Society of Master Thatchers

With over 60,000 thatched properties in the UK and an ever increasing number of wood burners and multi-fuel stoves being installed, it is not surprising that thatch fires occur.

TAS-33 Thatch Alert System

Thatch Alert Chimney Monitor System has been specifically designed for this application and therefore consists of bespoke functions to allow the system to be tailored to each property.

The Thatch Alert Chimney Heat Monitor System works very differently to other early warning devices, as it continues to monitor the temperature after the alarm has been triggered and therefore allows the home owner to carry on monitoring the temperature once they have taken preventative measures.

Once installed, in the event of high temperatures being recorded, the system will trigger an audible alarm, allowing the owner to take action.

Function

Adjustable temperature setting - This allows our engineers to change the alarm activation temperature point, due to the varying types of chimney construction, size and liners fitted.

Other audible alerts – Thatch Alert also has built in functions to warn the home owner of: low battery, transmission issues and detached probes.

Battery powered – Using smart energy saving technology, we have been able to power the Thatch Alert system using standard AA Alkaline batteries. This removes the need for homeowner to provide additional mains power supplies in the loft space. The batteries will last for a minimum of 12-months, with the home owner getting a 2-month warning to replace the batteries. 

Large display – The Thatch Alert receiver is fitted with a large and easy to read display that constantly shows the temperature of the chimney brickwork at the point that it meets the thatch.

Installation

The Thatch Alert Chimney Heat Monitor is available exclusively through Thatching Advisory Services and installed by our team of experienced engineers.

The system is made up of two thermocouple probes, a transmitter and a receiver. The two probes, which are plugged into the transmitter, are securely attached to the chimney stack. The transmitter will then send a signal to the receiver which will display the temperature of both probes.

For the system to work correctly the probes need to be located half way down the thickness of the thatch. This is to ensure that the Thatch Alert Chimney Monitor System is monitoring the point that heat transfer is most likely to occur.

On completion of each installation the home owner is issued with the following:

• Comprehensive Operating Manual
• Quick Reference Guide
• Certificate of Installation – This can then be forwarded to the home owner’s insurance company

Ongoing Support

Each Thatch Alert Chimney Monitor System comes with a full 12-month guarantee covering both the product and the installation. In addition to this we offer a telephone support service during normal office hours.

Each home owner is also offered a Comprehensive Support Contract which commences on the 1^st anniversary of the installation. This contract includes an annual site visit to inspect/test the system and replace the batteries. Providing the system has passed the inspection a new 12-month certificate will be issued.

For more information on this and other Thatch Fire Protection Products and Systems, please contact us on 08455 20 40 60.

‘Leading the way in Thatch Fire Prevention’