Fire safety in the home is essential in order to keep you and your family safe. The easiest way to protect your home and family from fire is with working smoke alarms.

Fit at least one smoke alarm on every level of your home. The ideal position is on the ceiling, in the middle of a room, and on the hallway and landing, so you can hear an alarm throughout your home. Don’t forget to test your smoke alarms at least once a month.

Smoke Alarms

Protect Your Home With Smoke Alarms

The easiest way to protect your home and family from fire is with working smoke alarms. We advise you to fit at least one smoke alarm on every level of your home. The ideal position is on the ceiling, in the middle of a room, and on the hallway and landing, so you can hear an alarm throughout your home. See the image below for an example of where you should put your smoke alarms (shown in red).

Smoke Alarms

It is essential you don’t forget to test your smoke alarms. You should test them at least once a month. Don’t forget and put your home and family at risk!

How To Make Your Smoke Alarms Work

Smoke Alarms
Smoke Alarms
Smoke Alarms

There are a number of things to do in order to make sure your smoke alarm works. These are:

  • Test the batteries in your smoke alarm every month, change them every year and never remove them.
  • Never disconnect or take the batteries out of your alarm if it goes off by mistake.
  • Standard battery operated alarms are the cheapest option, but the batteries need to be replaced every year. A lot of people forget to check the batteries, so longer life batteries are better.
  • An alarm with ten-year batteries is the best option. Mains-powered alarms are powered by your home power supply.
  • Generally they don’t need to be installed by a qualified electrician.
  • Alarms that plug into a light socket use a rechargeable battery, which is charged when the light is on. You can even have linked alarms installed, so that when one alarm detects a fire they all go off together. This is useful if you live in a large house or over several levels.

Preventing Nuisance Alarms

We advise you not to put smoke alarms in or near kitchens or bathrooms where smoke or steam can set them off accidentally. Also, don’t forget to vacuum your smoke alarm every three months to remove dust that can set them off. Having smoke alarms puts you one step ahead but, you still have to make sure you try and prevent a fire from starting in the home.

Is you alarm chirping?

If any of your smoke alarms have a one year battery, make sure it is changed every year to prevent it beeping. Ten-year sealed battery smoke alarms are the best option.

Top tips for purchasing and installing smoke alarms

  • Smoke alarms must conform to the British Standard 5446 and display the kite mark
  • Follow the manufacturers’ instructions when installing
  • The best protection is obtained by fitting a smoke alarm in each room – but not the kitchen or bathroom
  • Best practice is to have mains-powered alarms that are linked together
  • The minimum recommended level of provision is to fit a smoke alarm on each floor of your home, at the bottom of the staircase and on each upstairs landing
  • If only one smoke alarm is to be installed, make sure that it is fitted in a place where it can be heard throughout your home – particularly when you are asleep
  • They are designed to be fitted at least 30cm from walls and light fittings
  • Alarms should not be fixed next to or directly above heaters or air conditioning outlets
  • If your home is on one level, you should fit at least one smoke alarm in the hallway between the living and sleeping areas
  • Some alarms can be linked together so that if one of them senses smoke, all of them will sound – this can provide the earliest possible warning
  • Smoke alarms should be tested every month by pressing the test button – follow us on Twitter for reminders to test them
  • Vacuum the inside of the alarm regularly to ensure that dust is not blocking the sensor chamber

Please note:

We also advise you never to ignore your neighbours smoke alarm. By taking action, you could help save a life.

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