Alarms
SOCIETY BENEFITS
Less devastated familiesECONOMY BENEFITS
Reduced home insurance costENVIROMENTAL BENEFITS
Less CO2 & wasteAdvice
REMEMBER:
If you smell gas then turn off all gas appliances and the supply!
Then contact NATIONAL GRID (used to be TRANSCO) on 0800 111 999 and await there instructions.
TEST ALL ALARMS ONCE A WEEK!!!!!
How tragic is it when whole families are killed by smoke and fire, and it is revealed that no fire alarm was present or functioning.
Don’t let this be you or your family!
The very minimum is that there should be one smoke alarm on each floor of your dwelling. Ideally it is wise to have one smoke alarm on each floor + 1 extra, which is strategically placed to provide early warning from the most likely source of fire e.g. a kitchen (though just outside the kitchen, as normal activities in the kitchen might set it off often).
If you use gas or have an open fire (gas, coal, wood) within your household, then a carbon monoxide alarm is a MUST! Use the rule of one carbon monoxide alarm on any floor that uses gas, and then an additional alarm, which is strategically placed close to the potential main source of carbon monoxide i.e. open fire/ boiler. The good news is that you can purchase combined smoke/carbon monoxide alarms which will help the house to look less cluttered with alarms.
It is also possible to purchase mains-powered alarms which means you don’t have to worry about changing the batteries. The mains-powered alarms usually (check though) have battery backup.
It is important to maintain your alarms properly! The batteries should be renewed every six months and the alarm vacuumed to make sure a build-up of dust doesn’t cause failure. To help you remember to maintain your alarms, put it in your calendar, diary and even electronic calendar.
Other Sustainable Considerations:
• Use rechargeable batteries in your alarms to reduce waste.
• Make sure any children in the house understand what the alarms are for and know what to do if they hear them.
