Re: What Would You Do In The Event Of a Fire?

There's a big difference between an alarm beeping to warn you of a battery that needs changing and a full-blown alarm being triggered. Remember that they're designed to wake you up so they need to be loud and constant. For this reason, when smoke alarms are installed outside bedrooms, on a landing perhaps, they should be no more than three metres away from the bedrooms and in the case of large bungalows where there's a hallway between the bedrooms and lounges/dining room it's prudent to install an additional one closer to those rooms, the distance between them not exceeding seven metres.

This is also why it is paramount that they be replaced after a maximum of ten years. Just because they may work on the test button (you do test them don't you?), there's no guarantee that the detection heads will be still working after many years of accumulated dust.

Re: What Would You Do In The Event Of a Fire?

Yes Mups, CO detectors also bleep around every forty seconds or so when the batteries need replacing. The sound they make is also different to that of smoke detectors so you can differentiate between the two. Make sure you're familiar with the sound produced by each type as you don't want to be looking round for the cause of a smoke detector going off while you're being gassed by carbon monoxide.

Re: What Would You Do In The Event Of a Fire?

There you are Pesta, I said our Judsy would know.

Thank you very much Judd, that has put my mind at rest now I know that a C.M. detector would bleep slowly if it was only a battery needed. I didn't know there was a difference between a battery warning and a proper alert with these.
I also didn't even think about both alarms having different sounds, but it makes sense now you've said.

Just one more question if I may though, if the C.M. detector did go off properly one day, how long (approximately) would we have to get out before the fumes got us.
Any idea roughly?

Re: What Would You Do In The Event Of a Fire?

The CO alarms are designed to trigger long before monoxide gets to dangerous levels, ignore an alarm at your peril. Immediately turn off any gas appliances and open doors and windows to ventilate.

The type I install (AICO) have a feature that allows them to communicate with and send data to, my phone. After installation, I take an initial reading and then email that reading to myself for my records, and the client for theirs. The data collected by my phone tells of the battery's health, whether there is any low-level monoxide already present and if I go back at some later date can do the test again. This new test can be used as a comparison and also tells me the continuing state of the battery and whether the detector has been tested or not. (Each test of the device is recorded). You'd be surprised at the number that have never been tested since I installed it. There's no end to human stupidity.

Re: What Would You Do In The Event Of a Fire?

Well I guess that makes me pretty stupid as well Judd, because I have never tested mine either. I have the smoke alarm, but not the other one.
Perhaps I'd best do it tomorrow.

Re: What Would You Do In The Event Of a Fire?

He's a marvel isn't he... not just a pretty face - proper little font of knowledge too


Judd - do the CM detectors need to be replaced every 10yrs like the smoke alarms do?

Re: What Would You Do In The Event Of a Fire?

The location of your CO alarm is also important. If your boiler is in a bedroom it's best to mount the detector on the wall at the side of your bed where your head is likely to be.

In rooms with an open fire, log/coal burning stove or gas fire they need to be installed between one and three metres horizontally from the fuel source and not tucked into a corner of a room because you don't like the look of them for example. If you did this and there was a CO leak you'd be dead in double-quick time long before the alarm triggers.

Re: What Would You Do In The Event Of a Fire?

Judd - do the CM detectors need to be replaced every 10yrs like the smoke alarms do?

Re: What Would You Do In The Event Of a Fire?

Usually between five and seven years depending on type but I'd stick to five years or less if I were you. No point risking your life for the sake of a few quid.

ETA: There should be an expiration date on all of the newer detectors, if there isn't one it's a good indication that it's expired.

Re: What Would You Do In The Event Of a Fire?

In the event of a fire, you would just act instinctively to survive. All your best laid plans would probably go out of the window, with you running after them!

I should be ok, l got my Fireman’s badge in the girl guides!