Smoke & Carbon Monoxide Alarms
From 1st October 2015 new regulations will require landlords to ensure the fire safety of their tenants as well as offer protection against carbon monoxide poisoning.
The new regulations require that from 1 October 2015, landlords will be required to install a smoke alarm on every floor of their property and a carbon monoxide alarm in rooms containing a solid fuels appliance.
Landlords will be required to check that alarms are working at the start of every new tenancy and where a tenant notifies a landlord whenever alarms are faulty, they should be replaced.
Enforcement of the Regulations is the responsibility of the local housing authority, which can require landlords to fit alarms and if the landlord fails to do so has the power to arrange for them to be fitted. There is a power to levy a penalty charge of £5000 on the landlord.
The new regulations will apply to all ‘specified tenancies’, i.e. residential premises where a person or persons have a right to occupy the premises and rent is payable.
Further guidance will be issued by the Government and will cover a range of issues, such as testing, including hard-wired systems, clarity on which tenancies are affected and issues of overlap and interaction between these new regulations and others, such as the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order.
What Are Smoke Alarms:
Smoke alarms are self-contained devices that incorporate a means of detecting a fire (smoke detector) and giving a warning (alarm). They are about the size of a hand and are normally fitted to the ceiling. Smoke alarms can be battery operated (some are long life battery maintenance free) or they can be mains powered (which usually have a battery backup), smoke alarms can detect fires in their early stages and alert you giving you those precious minutes to enable you and your family to leave your house in safety.
Types of Smoke Alarms:
There are three types of smoke alarm available – ionisation, optical and heat, you can also have a combination of the different alarm types built into one unit or smoke alarms combined with carbon monoxide alarms.
Ionisation: These are the cheapest and cost very little to purchase. They are very sensitive to small particles of smoke produced by fast flaming fires, such as paper and wood, and will detect this type of fire before the smoke gets too thick. They are marginally less sensitive to slow burning and smouldering fires which give off larger quantities of smoke before flaming occurs.
Optical: These are more expensive but more effective at detecting larger particles of smoke produced by slow-burning fires, such as smouldering foam-filled upholstery and overheated PVC wiring. They are marginally less sensitive to free burning flaming fires. Optical alarms can be installed near (not in) kitchens, as they are less likely than ionisation alarms to go off when toast is burned.
Heat Alarms: They detect the rise in temperature from a fire and are insensitive to smoke. They can therefore be installed in kitchens. They only cover a relatively small area of a room, so potentially several heat alarms need to be installed in a large kitchen.
How Many Smoke Alarms to Fit:
The number of smoke alarms to fit in your home depends on your particular circumstances. Fires can start anywhere, so the more that are fitted, the higher the level of protection. For maximum protection an alarm should be fitted in every room (except bathroom) You should choose the type most suited to the risk in each room. For minimum protection the number to be fitted will depend on the type of home you live in:
If your home is on one floor, one smoke alarm, preferably of the optical type, may be enough to provide you with early warning of a fire.
If your home has more than one floor, at least one alarm should be fitted on each level. In this case a combination of optical and ionisation alarms, preferably interconnected, will give the best protection.
Important: Do not fit an alarm in the bathroom, as steam may trigger the alarm. In kitchens and garages where steam or exhaust fumes can occur, install a heat alarm.
Where to Fit Smoke Alarms:
Smoke alarms are simply screwed into the ceilings and should be fitted as close to the centre of the room as possible, but at least 30 centimetres (12 inches) away from any wall or light fitting. You should always make sure that your alarm is fitted in a place where it can be heard throughout your home – particularly when you are asleep.
If your home is on one level, you should fit the alarm in the hallway between the living and sleeping areas. If you have only one smoke alarm and two floors, put it where you can hear it when you’re asleep – in the ceiling at the top of the stairs leading to the bedrooms. Although ionisation and optical alarms are equally effective, optical alarms may be preferred in this particular situation as they are especially good at detecting slow-burning or smouldering fires.
If you have a TV or other large electrical appliance in your bedroom, you should fit a smoke alarm there. If your home has more than one floor then at least one alarm should be fitted on each level, in this case a combination of optical and ionisation alarms, interconnected, will give the best protection.
Important: The manufacturers’ instructions should be followed at all times, particularly where mains powered alarms are to be installed.
Maintaining Smoke Alarms:
Follow the manufacturers’ instructions, smoke alarms need very little maintenance. A few minutes of your time during the year will ensure the alarm is working and could help save a life, you should:
What Is Carbon Monoxide:
Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colourless, odourless, tasteless, poisonous gas produced by incomplete burning of carbon-based fuels, including gas, oil, wood and coal. Carbon-based fuels are safe to use, it is only when the fuel does not burn properly that excess CO is produced, which is poisonous. When CO enters the body, it prevents the blood from bringing oxygen to cells, tissues, and organs.
You can’t see it, taste it or smell it but CO can kill quickly without warning, statistics show around 12 people die every year from CO poisoning caused by gas appliances and flues that have not been properly installed, maintained or that are poorly ventilated. Levels that do not kill can cause serious harm to health if breathed in over a long period. In extreme cases paralysis and brain damage can be caused as a result of prolonged exposure to CO.
Symptoms of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning:
Early symptoms of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning can mimic many common ailments and may easily be confused with food poisoning, viral infections, flu or simple tiredness. Symptoms to look out for include:
Carbon Monoxide Alarms:
Carbon Monoxide (CO) alarms protect by giving an early warning when the poisonous gas is detected in the home. Installing a CO alarm is a simple DIY task, with most detectors only requiring a couple of screws, while some are free-standing and require no installation. Ideally the alarms should be installed next to potential sources of CO in the premises and in sleeping areas. The alarms should be at a horizontal distance of between 1 to 3 metres from the potential source and at least 1.5 metres from the ceiling if fitted on a wall. Avoid putting them too close to windows or air vents.
Important: The manufacturers’ instructions should be followed at all times.
Maintenance of Carbon Monoxide Alarms:
CO alarms currently last between 5 and 7 years, with the batteries normally requiring replacement every year or so (some alarms have a battery indicator or audible beep when the battery is low) Quite a lot of CO alarms also do not warn you when they reach the end of their operational life, which means that they could be entirely useless while giving the impression of protection, it is therefore important the alarm is replaced as per the manufactures instructions.
If Carbon Monoxide Is Detected:
The above info was taken from https://www.oaklet.co.uk/smoke-carbon-monoxide-alarm.html
The actual government legislation can be found here:
As you can see the government (in their infinite wisdom) have stated CO Alarms are compulsory in rooms with "a solid fuel burning combustion appliance", but make no mention of gas appliances! I believe that they'll soon spot this error and change it to include all boilers or appliances.
I'm advising all our landlords to put CO alarms in now if they haven't already done so, and at 1st House Lettings we're currently checking the alarms status on all our managed properties over the next few weeks, including my own. Date stamped photo's will be taken as evidence to ensure we're all compliant and safe for tenants.
If you're a landlord and uncertain about your responsibilities then please give me a call on 01525 838848 or email me directly graham@1st-house-lettings.co.uk
Have a good weekend!
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