Pir Placement (Groan!)

[bennynoneck]

Hi,

 

No doubt this has been asked just a few times before, but I’m wondering – on a generic level – where to put PIRs.

 

I’ve read up a little and people say avoid facing windows, avoid drafts, avoid above radiators, avoid facing radiators, etc. That seems to discount almost all options in my eyes.

 

Imagine a square room with a window on one side and a radiator on any of the other three sides. Two corners will have the window in sight, and all four corners are either going to be facing the radiator or be “above” it almost.

 

Or is all this rubbish nowadays. Does it matter if a PIR is on the same wall as a radiator but is 1+ metre to the side of it (and obviously 1-2 metres above it)?

 

The attached picture is a lovely little rendering of the ground floor of my house It’s south-facing and has a horrible open-plan layout with rads on most walls and a ground floor extension where the patio doors are. The one window is from wall to wall almost. The sun pours in during the summer. The red patches are radiators.

 

Where would you place the PIRs by looking purely at this? I have three at my disposal. I thought of maybe having to have two trigger to set the alarm off if the PIRs will be compromised by the layout? There will be a contact on the front door. I know I should have contacts at the back but I've yet to save up for these (it's wireless texecomm premier elite richocet). I'm going wired upstairs but wireless downstairs.

 

Thanks in advance, and please bear with me!

Edited November 12, 2015 by bennynoneck

[sixwheeledbeast]

Facing away but across any windows would be best. Both to reduce the chance of sunlight issues and cover the potential break in points better.

Adjacent a radiator could be an issue whereas facing one on a wall opposite would be less so.

You could also fit DT's instead if there are concerns with FA's

 

The plan doesn't give the full picture but SW corners?

[bennynoneck]

Hi.

 

The three PIRs are the standard ones I'm afraid.

 

SW corners will be looking toward the windows. I like your idea of above the windows. I was thinking of having one to the right of the window in the alcove. That would cover pretty much everything, including someone coming in from the kitchen, window, or patio doors. I would have one in the extension on the right, but then it would look straight at a rad.

 

I assume people don't put PIRs anywhere but in corners? Look a bit naff sitting in the middle of a room?!

 

Many thanks.

[sixwheeledbeast]

If red is radiators then SW would not be facing windows from your diagram.

However, I did say that the plan doesn't help.

 

They cover 90 degree so it can be a waste in flat.

[datadiffusion]

Went to a job today to quote for replacement, 10 year old sparky special 'Challenger' system with PIRs you can literally creep past by walking slowly.

 

One of them is TOUCHING the central heating pipe. The drafy unheated garage has a £2.99 special PIR, funny enough HH states 'it was disabled early on'.

 

Luckilly a recommendation and the householder went ahead on my replacement estimate alone, the only thing left will be the wires.

 

50% of the remaining are facing windows (despite the fact sparky had full and free access when the house was totally gutted inc. plaster, tit) and they don't want to redecorate, but e-line DTs will easily survive that IMHO.

[bennynoneck]

Hi.

Sorry I thought you meant the sw corners, if u meant facing south facing then yes that might be the way forward thanks.

So are there any rules about rads and windows when I come to place them upstairs?

[sixwheeledbeast]

Follow the manufacturers instructions and choose the best position with that as a guide.

Post 2 was generic so advise would be the same upstairs.

[bennynoneck]

Ta!