Safety precautions in your home

Home owner insurance

Home owner insurance and smoke alarms are both needed for peace of mind.

Smoke Alarms

The Facts

Your home means a lot to you, that’s why you work so hard to make it just how you want it, but your home is at more risk than you realise.

Maybe you think fire can’t touch you, maybe you think it won’t happen to you, your wrong - did you know that

• Every year the Fire Service are called to over 600,000 fires which result in over 800 deaths and over 17,000 injuries
• There are around 63,000 house fires in the UK every year (over 170 per day) and kill around 500 and injure over 11,000, many of which could have been prevented if people had an early warning and were able to get out in time

They were ordinary people, just like you. Maybe they never gave fire a second thought either … until it was too late.

Having a smoke alarm fitted in your home could help to save your home and the lives of your family in the event of a fire

Why have smoke alarms in your home?

A smoke alarm is the easiest way to alert you in the danger of fire, giving you time to escape. They are cheap, easy to get hold of and easy to fit, so there is no excuse not to have one fitted in your home.

Many people who have smoke alarms are in danger too, they maybe fitted in the wrong place, there maybe not enough smoke alarms fitted for the size of their home, they may not have checked there alarm lately or the batteries could be missing.

Excuses Kill: remember to fit a smoke alarm now:

• It’s your responsibility
• Don’t rely on your dog to wake you!
• A fire will not wake a light sleeper.

What are smoke alarms?

Smoke alarms are self-contained devices that incorporate a means of detecting a fire and giving a warning. They can detect a fire in the early stages and give you extra time to enable you and your family to get out of the house, those extra few minutes could save lives.

What types of smoke alarms are available?

There are three types of smoke alarms currently on the market:

Ionisation Smoke Alarms

Ionisation Smoke Alarms are the cheapest and cost very little to purchase. They are sensitive to free-burning fires with flames – for example chip pan fires. They detect these fires before the smoke gets thick. They can be purchased for as little as £5, and can be purchased from most DIY and electrical shops.

Optical Smoke Alarms

Optical Smoke Alarms are more expensive but more effective for detecting slow–burning fires for example overheated electrical wiring. They are less likely to go off when you’re cooking.

Combination Smoke Alarms

Combination Smoke Alarms are more effective at detecting slow-burning fires, as well as flaming fires which are both common types of fires

How many smoke alarms do I need?

The number of smoke alarms that you fit in your home, depends on your personal circumstances. The more you have, the higher level of protection and the more safer you will be.

You should have a minimum of one at each level, possibly in the hall and landing ceiling. For maximum protection one can be fitted in each room (excluding kitchen, bathroom and garage this being that cooking, steam and exhaust fumes may set the alarm off) if you do not want a smoke alarm fitted to each room, then you should access the risk in each room then decide if you require a smoke alarm fitted.

The best place to fit the smoke alarm would be on the ceiling in the middle of the room or hall, at least one foot away from a wall or light.

Looking after smoke alarms:

• Test your smoke alarm once a week by pressing the test button until the alarm sounds
• Once a year you must change the battery (unless you have a ten year alarm)
• Twice a year it is suggested to open the casing and gently vacuum inside using the soft brush attachment to remove any dust from the sensors
• After 10 years it best to replace the whole smoke alarm with a new one.

Checklist for making your home safe:

• Fit smoke alarms
• Make a fire action plan so that everyone in the household knows how to escape if there is a fire
• Make sure all exists are always clear, everyone in your home should know where keys are for windows and doors
• Take extra care in the kitchen – accidents whilst cooking account for over half of fires in homes. Never leave young children in the kitchen whilst unattended
• Take extra care when cooking with hot oil
• Never leave lit candles in rooms that are unattended or have small children in them
• Make sure cigarettes are stubbed out properly and disposed of carefully
• Get into the habit of closing doors at night, if you want to leave a child’s door open make sure the lounge and kitchen doors are closed, this may well save there life in the event of a fire
• Don’t overload electrical sockets
• Keep matches and lighters out of the reach of children
• Take special care when you are tired or have been drinking
• Don’t leave TV or electrical appliances on standby as this could start a fire. Always switch a plug off when not in use.

The following website can help children to learn the dangers of fire www.welephant.co.uk.

Your family’s life? visit Don't give fire a home. To view this document you need Adobe Reader.

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Why not ask Cover Direct for a cheap contents insurance quote so that your belongings are covered should your home suffer fire damage?

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Cheap Home Insurance

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