Smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors are vital to your safety, they will alert you to a fire as soon as it starts and give you precious time to get out.
Having too many alarms can be detrimental to your safety so it’s important to make sure you have the correct number in your house UK!
What are smoke and carbon monoxide alarms?
Smoke alarms detect smoke and are therefore most effective at detecting fast-moving/flaming fires. This is because the ions in smoke ‘bond’ with the electrically charged plates of Fire Alarms Essex (known as photoelectric or ionization) when they enter the chamber.
A good rule of thumb is to have a working smoke and carbon monoxide alarm in every room that has a fuel-burning appliance. This includes open fires, wood-burning stoves, and gas appliances like boilers and cookers.
Where to fit alarms?
It’s best to install them in the rooms that you use most, ideally on each level of your home. If you have a staircase connecting two or more levels you may also need to install smoke alarms on the ceiling at each head of the stairway.
What type of alarms should I fit?
Ideally, you should fit a hardwired, mains-powered photoelectric type smoke and heat alarm. These will have a sealed battery unit that can last for up to 10 years and are easy to change when required.
Landlords in England are required to place a smoke alarm on each floor of their dwelling and a carbon monoxide detector in all rooms where solid fuel is used, like a coal fire. They must test them at the start of each new tenancy and should maintain them properly. If they fail to comply, they can be fined by their local housing authority.
