Using Smoke Alarms and Carbon Monoxide Detectors

Smoke alarms, smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors are amongst the most important fixtures in your home or commercial building.

They may be battery operated (common in residential properties) or hardwired (common in smoke detectors in commercial buildings, which may send a signal to prompt an automatic response from the fire department).

You should check the self-contained devices in your home regularly to ensure their batteries are still working. You never know when they will be needed; they could save your life, and the lives of the people you love.

Smoke detectors in commercial buildings should be checked on site regularly, noting faults for the engineer to inspect.

It is also possible to install a combination smoke alarm and carbon monoxide alarm.

The Importance of Working Alarms and Detectors in Your Home

Where fires occur, a death is more likely if there isn’t a working smoke alarm in your home. It is a relatively common problem that householders neglect to replace batteries and so, when a fire occurs, their safety equipment can’t give them early warning.

Many people disconnect their smoke alarms rather than have them repaired when they are faulty due to the noise they cause. But then fail to get them repaired.

Similarly, carbon monoxide alarms give early warning of the presence of deadly carbon monoxide in your home. If it sounds, you should never ignore it. Switch off all devices such as your heating system and open all windows. Call an engineer immediately.

Placing the Devices

You should have at least one smoke alarm on each floor of your home, and inside and outside every ‘sleep room’.  Older properties often need to increase the number of alarms in the home to meet these standards.

For the best protection, the NFPA recommend your alarms are interconnected.

Repairing the Devices

Whilst it’s relatively common for people to disarm a device when it is faulty, the importance of having a working smoke alarm or carbon monoxide detector in your home cannot be overstated. We can visit your home to identify whether you need a repair or replacement.

In commercial buildings, a smoke detector system may be hard wired and connected throughout the property. If an issue is noted during the fire safety check we can attend to carry out a smoke detector repair. If a smoke detector replacement is required, our qualified electricians can carry out the work.

We only install patented systems to ensure fewer false alarms