Their distinguishing feature is the fact that they can be linked to other alarms, both heat and smoke alarms, so that when one senses danger they all sound. These alarms are more sensitive to smaller particles of smoke produced by the flaming stage of fires than optical alarms, and more easily triggered by cooking – causing false alarms. Combined Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarms: Alarms that combine both smoke detection and CO alarm protection in one ceiling-mounted unit. This reduces costs and takes up less of your living space. The new law was introduced following the Grenfell fire in 2017, and its implementation has been delayed by a year because of the Covid pandemic.

Bedrooms, living rooms and hallway: Optical smoke alarms or combined optical smoke and heat alarms. It goes without saying that every home should have a smoke alarm. You never know when you might need it, and it might save your life. So now you know how to fit a smoke alarm without drilling, go ahead and make sure you've got one installed in your home. And if you know an older person who may have difficulty installing a fire alarm themselves, pop round and help them fit one. Ten-year sealed battery smoke alarms are the best option. They are slightly more expensive, but you save on the cost of replacing batteries. Every year the fire and rescue service is called to over 600,000 fires which result in over 800 deaths and over 17,000 injuries. About 50,000 (140 a day) of these are in the home and kill nearly 500 and injure over 11,000, many which could have been prevented if people had an early warning and were able to get out in time. In fact you are twice as likely to die in a house fire that has no smoke alarm than a house that does.An extension lead or adaptor will have a limit to how many amps it can take, so be careful not to overload them to reduce the risk of a fire. Turn off and unplug electrical appliances unless they are designed to be left on – like your freezer. If it is a ten year alarm, you will need to replace the whole alarm every ten years. Other equipment you could consider Smart smoke alarms not only trigger the alarm in your home but also send an alert to your phone. Ideal if you are out, or on holiday. You should consider whether you think members of your family would hear an alarm in the planned position from key areas, such as their bedroom. Plus whether anyone has needs that would better suit a different configuration – for example, a hearing impairment or a particularly heavy sleeper. Tips for buying, installing and maintaining smoke alarms

The new regulations also require interlinked smoke alarms to be fitted in all hallways and landings in homes in Scotland.Fire blankets are used to put out a fire or wrap a person whose clothes are on fire. They are best kept in the kitchen.

Plan an escape from your home in advance and talk about it with your family. If a fire occurs you may have to get out in the dark and difficult conditions. Escaping will be a lot easier it everyone knows where to go. Make sure your routes remain free of any obstructions and that there are no loose floor coverings that could trip you.

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As of February 2022, the Nest protect smoke and CO alarm no longer meet the requirements of the new Scottish alarm laws. This is because, while it can be linked to other Nest alarms, it has no way of detecting heat rises or of being linked to another heat alarm. 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.