Smoke Alarms UK… Simply Alert You to the Danger of Fire.

Smoke Alarms UK

Smoke alarms simply alert you to the danger of fire; you’re twice as likely to die in a fire at home if you don’t have at least one.

The Fire Brigade and Home Office post-fire reports, show that 40% of smoke alarms in the home did not work due to flat or missing batteries.

Also over 6 million homes in the UK own a smoke alarm that has been disabled, and a further 4 million homes have no smoke detectors at all, despite their life-saving potential.

As the above statistics demonstrate, some people who have smoke alarms are also in danger, as battery checks have not been carried out, the alarm has been fitted in the wrong place, or there are too few alarms in a large house.

Smoke Alarms UK- Hints and Tips 

• Purchase an appropriate smoke detector, one for each floor of your home, and follow the instructions on where to place it and how to use it.

• Smoke alarms should be fitted in the hall or landing, either on the ceiling or on a wall around six to twelve inches below the ceiling and keep them away from air vents.

• Test your smoke detectors regularly to ensure that they still work. Change the battery in battery-powered alarms, every six months. (apart from ten year alarms)

• Vacuum the inside of your alarms twice a year to remove dust from the sensors.

• Any Alarm over 10 years old should be replaced.

Making a Choice of Smoke Alarms There is a wide choice of smoke alarms available, at reasonable prices, each one using a different fire detection method as follows: –

Monitored Smoke Detectors detect smoke, sound an audible alarm, and automatically call for help whether or not you are home or awake. Monitored smoke detectors are those installed by your security company and connected to your security system.

Ionisation Alarms These alarms are very effective in detecting fast-flaming fires, before thick smoke is produced, e.g. chip pan fires.

Optical Alarms Optical alarms are based on the light scatter principle and are more effective at detecting slow-burning fires, like overheated electrical wiring or foam filled furniture. They are suitable for general residential use.

Combined Alarms This is a useful alarm for general use as it combines the detection of slow-burning as well as flaming fires.

Heat Alarms Heat alarms are used in rooms where smoke or steam are frequently part of the normal atmosphere, such as kitchens or garages, and are the best choice for those situations. They can be connected to other smoke alarms on escape routes to give better protection.

Radio Inter linked Smoke Alarms These are battery-operated smoke detectors and heat alarms that are linked by radio waves. If one alarm detects a fire, all the alarms are activated.

Smoke Alarms UK for the Deaf  The EI smoke alarm system for the deaf and hard of hearing, combines a smoke alarm with sound alert, an intense strobe light and a vibration pad, providing three methods of warning. They are mains powered with battery backup.

Fire Angel Plug-In Ionisation Smoke Alarm Plugs directly into a normal bayonet light fitting and is hidden by the lampshade. The alarm is charged when the light is in use, so it does not require batteries.

Also incorporates a simple testing facility, by flicking the light switch off, then on ONCE, causes the Fire Angel to complete a self-test cycle.

If you’re not sure which one to buy, then choose a smoke alarm that combines optical and ionisation detection and has a 10-year battery or mains supply.

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