HOME FIRE SAFETY - SOME TIPS FROM LEKOGO

Regulations on Smoke and Carbon Monoxide alarms are changing

7 THINGS TO CONSIDERER IN THE FACE OF NEW SMOKE AND CARBON MONOXIDE ALARM REGULATIONS

Smoke and carbon monoxide detector regulations are now in force.

Here are some safety tips to reduce the chances of fire in your home or premises. 

The idea is to prevent fires by looking after yourself and your tenants, as well as your surroundings. 

These tips can help alert you to any early warning signs of a fire or carbon monoxide leak in your home

1. If you live in a multi-storey house, we recommend that you make sure there is a smoke detector on each floor. Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are available in DIY shops, electrical shops and most supermarkets.

2. Firefighters recommend installing a heat alarm in the kitchen, rather than a smoke alarm. This means that the alarm will be triggered by the heat of the fire and not by cooking fumes.

3. Mains powered alarms are powered from the domestic mains and have a battery back-up in the event of a power failure. They must be installed by a qualified electrician and, like battery alarms, require testing.

4. It is important to have a specialised alarm system at home if you have a disability that may prevent or delay your escape in case of fire.

5. Test the smoke alarms in your flat/apartment at least once a month. If you live in a FirstPort Retirement property, please check with your Development Manager to find out if regular testing of smoke alarms is required in your development.

6. Look for the British Standards symbol or the European (CE) mark on your security device. This means that it complies with European and British safety standards.

7. Never disconnect or remove the batteries from your alarm if it is triggered by mistake.

Since 2015, it has been mandatory to install a CO alarm in any room containing a solid fuel burning appliance, such as a coal fireplace or wood-burning cooker. From 1 October 2022, the obligation to install CO alarms is extended to all rooms containing a fixed combustion appliance for any type of fuel.

It is also important that, from 1 October, landlords take steps to comply with the new regulations. Landlords must:

Install at least one smoke alarm on every floor of the property where there is a room used as a dwelling (This has been a legal requirement in the private rented sector since 2015).

Install a carbon monoxide alarm in any room used as a dwelling that contains a fixed combustion appliance (excluding gas cookers).

Ensure that all smoke and carbon monoxide alarms are repaired or replaced once reported and found to be faulty.

The regulations require you to ensure that alarms are fitted and to check that each of the prescribed alarms is working correctly on the day the tenancy commences, if it is a new tenancy.

Your local fire and rescue authority can provide you with further advice on installation, or you can download fire safety information at HERE

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