Fully functioning and correctly installed smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are an essential part of the fire safety measures at your Coventry property.
As a responsible landlord you want to ensure your tenants are properly protected from the risks of fire and carbon monoxide poisoning. You will also be aware of your legal responsibility to provide and maintain sufficient smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. My team and I at Electrical Experts have a wealth of experience in providing smoke and carbon monoxide detector installation services to landlords of rental properties across Coventry, including HMOs.
Installing smoke and carbon monoxide detectors
A poorly installed or maintained smoke or carbon monoxide detector is as bad as having no alarm fitted. They simply won’t be able to function correctly and warn your tenants of danger. In 2018 firefighters attended just over 7500 housefires in homes with battery powered smoke alarms. 38% of these smoke alarms failed to sound. The main cause of failure was incorrect positioning (45%) followed by missing or faulty batteries (28%).
Mains powered smoke alarms are far more reliable than their battery powered counterparts when installed by a knowledgeable expert. Mains powered alarms are the best option to protect your property and safeguard your tenants. A mains powered smoke and carbon monoxide detector simply cannot be beaten for safety, efficiency, ease of maintenance and compliance with regulations. Finally, and most importantly for landlords, is the professional installation which comes when you choose mains powered detectors.
To ensure the safety of your tenants, and to protect your property it is vital that you choose an experienced, registered, and qualified electrician to install your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. At Electrical Experts we understand that it is vital that the electrician who installs your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors knows the regulations inside and out. As Coventry’s local experts in electrical services to landlords we have made it our business to go above and beyond when it comes to legislation. My team and I work hard to stay abreast of all developments and have an unrivalled knowledge base. By choosing us to install your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors you can be certain of a safe installation that fully complies with all relevant regulations.
Where should smoke detectors be installed?
It is a legal requirement that at least one smoke alarm is installed on every floor which is used as living accommodation in a property. It is further recommended that smoke detectors be installed in every bedroom to best protect your tenants. Smoke detectors must be installed high on the walls or as centrally on the ceilings as possible. They must also be at least 10 feet away from cooking appliances. If installed on a wall the smoke alarm needs to be within 12 inches of the ceiling to be effective. There are many other restrictions and recommendations for installing smoke detectors. To ensure a safe and effective installation a qualified and experienced electrician should be contracted.
Where should carbon monoxide detectors be installed?
The regulations state that “A carbon monoxide alarm should be installed in every room which is used as living accommodation containing a fixed combustion appliance (excluding gas cookers)” It is also recommended that you install a carbon monoxide alarm, much like smoke detectors, on every level of your home and inside every bedroom. Not every location is ideal to install a carbon monoxide alarm. Some locations can create false alarms or prevent your carbon monoxide detector from working correctly:
- Located too near to a fuel burning appliance.
- In a humid location such as a bathroom.
- In direct sunlight.
- Near fans or vents (too much airflow)
There are also different siting requirements depending on the presence of a fuel-burning appliance or not. As you can see siting a carbon monoxide detector correctly requires considerable knowledge and careful planning.
My team and I at Electrical Experts Coventry are here to help keep your tenants and property safe. If need an expert installation of smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, we are your local, reliable electricians. All our electricians are fully qualified, NICEIC registered and highly experienced in the provision of electrical services to landlords. Contact us today.