Where to put your fire alarms and co2 alarms in your home?
This is an important topic to discuss. Now the Great British Winter is here, we naturally cosy up by the fire, light the candles, and use even more appliances than in the summer months (e.g. tumble driers, heated blankets) = FIRE HAZARDS!
So, this is just a little reminder to check your fire alarms, smoke alarms, and CO2 alarms.
If you are like many of our clients and you’re in the middle of a project and it’s not the right time to install them, then this is a reminder to get them ordered today. Batteries too!
So this leads on to…
How many should I have and where should you put them?
Building Regulations say that you should have a smoke alarm on each landing. This is dependent on the size of your home as travel distances play a factor in this.
At BBD Architects, we always specify over and above the Building Regulations requirement.
We recommend that there is a smoke alarm in each habitable room, as this is where the majority of fires will start.
If a fire starts behind a closed door in a bedroom, it will have really taken hold by the time the smoke reaches the alarm on the landing. By having a smoke alarm in each room you are more likely to notice a fire early on and have a greater likelihood of extinguishing, evacuating, and early intervention.
We will also specify heat detectors in kitchen/utility space and a CO2 alarm in any area and where there is gas (boiler, fire, hob).
The more alarms present, the more likely it is to discover the fire earlier and preserve life and the building.
Here are some other handy tips of where exactly they should be placed:
- Smoke alarms installed in the basement should be installed on the ceiling at the bottom of the stairs.
- Smoke alarms should be installed at least 3 meters from a cooking appliance to minimize false alarms when cooking.
- Mount smoke alarms high on walls or ceilings (remember, smoke rises). Wall-mounted alarms should be installed not more than 12 inches away from the ceiling (to the top of the alarm).
- Don’t install smoke alarms near windows, doors, or ducts where drafts might interfere with their operation.
- Never paint smoke alarms. Paint, stickers, or other decorations could keep the alarms from working.
If you have any questions on this please email us at info@bbd-architects.co.uk
and don’t forget, to get those fire alarms in place – make it your weekend task 🙂
Written by Emily Hamblin
November 2021