BRITS can cut the risk of dying in a house fire in half by installing alarms, yet many don’t bother doing it.
In total, 90 per cent of residents in England and Wales had a working smoke alarm in 2016/17, according the latest government figures available.
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The good news is that many local fire services in the UK offer them for free, generally as part of a home visit to assess the fire safety in your property, the British Fire Services Assocation told us.
The Sun checked with nearly 20 fire services and a majority of them offer free fire alarms, but the eligibility criteria varies.
Some offer it to anyone who doesn’t have them or if you’ve installed yours in the wrong places.
While others focus on certain areas and situations where they know there is a higher risk of fire, such as in homes of older or disabled people.
We also found one fire service that only installs free alarms to Brits above the age of 75, if you’re suffering from a long-term illness, if you’re disabled or if you’re physically unable to install the alarms yourself.
How to get a free fire alarm
To get a free fire alarm installed in your home, you’ll first need to book a so-called Safe and Well visit, also known as Home Fire Risk Assessments or Home Fire Safety Checks.
The visits are carried out for free by all of the fire services we checked with. To find your local one, simply Google your area as well as “fire service”.
You’ll need to book in an appointment either by phone or through an online form.
The length of the visit can vary, but you should expect it to take up to an hour.
The visit is usually done by a serving fireman in uniform, and if your little ones are lucky, they’ll come in the fire engine too.
If they find that you need to have fire alarms installed, they’ll put them up for free during their visit.
If you’re not eligible for a free alarm
If you’re not entitled to get a free alarm, a smoke detector will set you back from £5 at DIY chains and supermarkets.
But if you have a big house, you’ll need more than one as The Fire Service recommends that you install at least one smoke alarm on every level of your home.
It also wise to install extra alarms in rooms containing large appliances, such as televisions or freezers.
There are three types of smoke alarm, with London Fire Brigade recommending a combination of all of them in your home:
- Ionisation alarms detect smoke particles using a current between two electrodes – these are more sensitive to smaller particles of smoke made by the flaming stage of fires
- Optical alarms contain an infrared LED which pulses a beam of light into a sensor area to check for smoke particles -they are better at detecting larger smoke particles from slower smouldering fires but are not good in dusty areas
- Heat alarms detect an increase in temperature from a fire and are insensitive to smoke. They are best used in the kitchen or garage for example
If you’re renting your property, your landlord is legally required to install functioning fire alarms for you.
If he or she refuses to comply with the rules, which came into force in 2015, they face being hit with a £5,000 fine.
All you need to know about installing fire alarms
HERE are some tips from the London Fire Brigade about what you need to think about.
- Get more than one alarm – A single smoke alarm isn’t enough to alert you to a fire
- Consider everyone’s needs – If there’s any reason there might be a delay in noticing or escaping from a fire, you should seek extra help
- Buy alarms with approved safety standards – Make sure any alarms you buy are marked with a current British Standards or European (CE) safety mark, which shows they are approved and safe
- Fit the alarms on a ceiling – Smoke alarms are usually placed on a ceiling (or high up on a wall, if the instructions state it is suitable for wall mounting)
- Get different alarms depending on the room – It’s important to fit an appropriate alarm in every room where there’s a fire risk
- Read the instructions – All alarms work in different ways so it’s important to follow the instructions that come with the alarm when it comes to installation
- Use a screw to fit the alarm – If you use glue, it can seep into the alarm and stop it working
- Avoid putting smoke alarms close to kitchens or bathrooms – This is because steam can damage the alarm, or set it off by mistake. Instead put a heat alarm in the kitchen
- Buy an alarm with a long-lasting battery – You should choose smoke alarms with a 10 year or long-lasting sealed battery, or you’ll have to replace it often
Be careful what you buy as two out of five smoke alarms tested by Which? have been deemed as “don’t buys” after failing to sound an alarm in multiple test fires.
If you don’t know how to safely fit a working smoke or carbon dioxide in your home, then check out our guide.
Furious experts have also slammed Notre Dame’s safety measures after it emerged officials refused to install alarms where the fire broke out.
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