Home safety buying guide

Smoke alarms

Best for: living rooms, bedrooms, hallways, landings

They detect smoke from fires and are best installed on the ceiling in the escape routes or main living areas.

These alarms usually have a flat surface with a test button, and ‘grates’ which let smoke into the detection chamber.

Heat alarms

Best for: kitchens, garages

They detect rapid rises in temperatures, like those seen during cooking fires, and can be fitted in kitchens or utility rooms without causing nuisance alarms to cooking fumes or dust.

These alarms usually have a ‘cage’ on the face of the alarm which contains the heat sensing element which detects the rapid rise in temperature from fires caused by cooking or lithium batteries.

Carbon monoxide alarms

Best for: rooms containing boilers, gas fires, solid fuel burners, as well as main living spaces

Carbon monoxide cannot be seen, tasted or smelt, but is a deadly killer that can be present in homes when fuel doesn’t burn efficiently. The only way to be alerted to this deadly gas is to install an audible carbon monoxide (CO) detector.

All home safety

View all fire, carbon monoxide and home safety products available at Wickes.

England

Existing properties in England must have:

• A smoke alarm on each storey of the property.
• A carbon monoxide alarm (CO) in any room used as living accommodation which contains a fixed combustion appliance such as a boiler (excluding gas cookers).
• To increase protection, install a heat alarm in the kitchen and a smoke alarm in the main living space (optional).
• Smoke alarms can be battery- or mains-powered and have a replaceable or sealed-for-life battery, or back-up battery.

Materially altered properties must have:

• If the home is being materially altered (re-wired or extended), then an additional smoke alarm is also required in the main living space.
• A heat alarm required in the kitchen.
• Smoke and heat alarms must then be mains-powered with a replaceable back-up battery.
• Where more than one smoke alarm is installed, all alarms must be hardwired or wirelessly interlinked. The heat alarm could also be included in this network.

For homes being privately rented and for further details, please refer to BS5839-6 standard.

These guidelines are the minimum level that is legally required. However, increased sensors within a home means that the alert to danger can be quicker, giving valuable time to escape.

This guidance provides a generic view in line with BS5839-6, however all properties require tailored protection.

Wales

Existing properties in Wales must have:

• A smoke alarm on each storey of the property.
• A carbon monoxide alarm (CO) in any room used as living accommodation which contains a fixed combustion appliance such as a boiler (excluding gas cookers).
• To increase protection, install a heat alarm in the kitchen and a smoke alarm in the main living space (optional).
• Smoke alarms can be battery- or mains-powered and have a replaceable or sealed-for-life battery, or back-up battery.

Materially altered properties must have:

• If the home is being materially altered (re-wired or extended), then an additional smoke alarm is also required in the main living space.
• A heat alarm required in the kitchen.
• Smoke and heat alarms must then be mains-powered with a replaceable back-up battery.
• Where more than one smoke alarm is installed, all alarms must be hardwired or wirelessly interlinked. The heat alarm could also be included in this network.

For homes being privately rented and for further details, please refer to BS5839-6 standard.

These guidelines are the minimum level that is legally required. However, increased sensors within a home means that the alert to danger can be quicker, giving valuable time to escape.

This guidance provides a generic view in line with BS5839-6, however all properties require tailored protection.

Northern Ireland

Existing properties in Northern Ireland must have:

• A smoke alarm on each storey of the property.
• A carbon monoxide alarm (CO) in any room used as living accommodation which contains a fixed combustion appliance such as a boiler (excluding gas cookers).
• To increase protection, install a heat alarm in the kitchen and a smoke alarm in the main living space (optional).
• Smoke alarms can be battery- or mains-powered and have a replaceable or sealed-for-life battery, or back-up battery.

Materially altered properties must have:

• If the home is being materially altered (re-wired or extended), then an additional smoke alarm is also required in the main living space.
• A heat alarm required in the kitchen.
• Smoke and heat alarms must then be mains-powered with a replaceable back-up battery.
• Where more than one smoke alarm is installed, all alarms must be hardwired or wirelessly interlinked. The heat alarm could also be included in this network.

For homes being privately rented and for further details, please refer to BS5839-6 standard.

These guidelines are the minimum level that is legally required. However, increased sensors within a home means that the alert to danger can be quicker, giving valuable time to escape.

This guidance provides a generic view in line with BS5839-6, however all properties require tailored protection.

Scotland

All homes in Scotland must have the following protection:

• A smoke alarm in the circulation space of each storey (hallway and landing).
• A smoke alarm in the main daytime living space.
• A heat alarm installed in every kitchen.
• A carbon monoxide alarm to be fitted in each room with a carbon-fuelled appliance or flue.
• All smoke and heat alarms to be hardwired or wirelessly interlinked.
• Sealed, long-life battery- or mains-powered alarms (with sealed back-up batteries) can be installed, with a maximum lifespan of 10 years.

This guidance is in line with the Scottish Tolerable Standard. Please refer to the standard for further information.

Battery-powered

Battery-powered alarms are easy to install and maintain without requiring the services of an electrician, as they take power from the battery within the unit. Alarms either come with a sealed long-life battery, which will last the lifetime of the alarm (up to 10 years), or replaceable batteries (which need replacing regularly).

The UK Fire and Rescue Service recommends sealed long-life battery-powered alarms as there’s no risk of forgetting to replace low batteries.

Mains-powered

Mains-powered alarms are required in many homes that are being materially altered through re-wiring job or home extension. They require an electrician to install them as they are powered by the home’s mains-powered circuits (in the same way sockets and lighting are). They also contain a battery, but this is used for back-up purposes if the power goes down in the home, ensuring you remain protected. These batteries can be sealed long-life batteries or replaceable batteries which need replacing regularly.

Please ensure you check the local regulations for your property type to ensure you are compliant.