Smoke Alarm Advice and Checklist

You are more than twice as likely to die in a fire in your home if you haven't got a smoke alarm. A smoke alarm is the easiest way to alert you to fire, giving you valuable minutes to escape. They are cheap, easy to get hold of and are remarkably easy to fit.

However, many people have smoke alarms that don't work.  This isn't because the alarms were defective, but because they were not properly cared for.  Like any other piece of electronic equipment, smoke alarms must be maintained properly.  Having a smoke alarm that doesn't work can be a fatal mistake.  Take care of your smoke alarms and they will take care of you. Here are basic guidelines regarding fire alarms...

Install Smoke Alarm
Fit a smoke alarm on all levels of your property. When a fire starts, you have only a few minutes to escape so an early warning is vital. Make sure you replace battery-operated smoke alarm units after 10 years.

Maintenance
To keep your smoke alarm in good working order, you should:  test it once a week, by pressing the test button until the alarm sounds. Change the battery once a year (unless it's a ten-year alarm). Replace the whole unit every ten years.

Action Plan
Plan your escape route. Make sure you and your family know the quickest way out in the event of fire. Consider an alternative route in case your usual one is blocked.

Turn Off Appliances
Stay safe in the kitchen. This is the area where most house fires start. It only takes a minute to check electrical appliances are switched off.

We would recommend that you consider buying a 10-year smoke alarm! These are slightly more expensive, but you save on the cost of replacing batteries. They are generally available as ionisation alarms or optical alarms and are fitted with a long-life lithium battery or a sealed power pack that lasts for 10 years, which removes the hassle and also keeps your family safe.

Leading fire safety specialist - FireAngel recommends the ST-620 Thermoptek™ 10 Year Smoke Alarm – which is a highly respected model and is a multi-criteria high performance
detector and the ultimate alternative to traditional smoke alarms. This new technology is not only significant as there are no radioactive components but also uses less packaging and 30% less plastic – whilst performance is dramatically improved.

This state of the art technology is an important step forward – as well as helping people feel safer in their homes, its new and improved universal backing plate means your role of fitting the smoke alarmhas been made as quick and trouble-free as possible. And its reliability will not only benefit the end user but the industry as a whole.