Installing smoke alarms in your home is essential for helping to keep you and your loved ones safe, with the early warning they provide giving vital time to escape a fire. 

Here’s a guide to the different kinds of smoke alarms, where to put them and how to make sure they’re working properly.

EASY AS HACK 

Regularly testing your fire alarms is vital and could save your life. You should have smoke alarms in your home in places like landings, hallways, bedrooms, living rooms, and kitchens. Watch this video showing you what to do.

At a glance

London Fire brigade recommends smoke alarms should be fitted in all rooms where a fire may start except for rooms where there may be an excess of smoke or steam, such as a kitchen. Here, they advise using a heat alarm, which detects rising temperatures rather than smoke.

 

WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF FIRE ALARMS

Several types of alarms will detect the presence of a fire and it’s essential to know which works best in the different spaces of your home.

  • Smoke alarms
    • Ionisation alarms detect fast-flaming fires and are often installed on landings and in hallways.
    • Photoelectric alarms are best for sensing slow-burning, smouldering fires and suit bedrooms, living rooms and most other spaces. They also work well in kitchens or near bathrooms, where false alarms might be more common due to steam. 
    • Combination alarms detect both smoke and carbon monoxide, making them ideal for use in most areas, including near fuel-burning appliances in kitchens.
  • Heat alarms aren’t sensitive to smoke and instead detect a rise in temperature, so they are the best option in kitchens and garages as everyday activities like cooking should not trigger them.
  • Carbon monoxide alarms detect the odourless and highly poisonous gas that is usually a byproduct of a fire in your home. Install them where there are bedrooms and near gas-burning appliances.

 

WHAT ARE THE BUILDING REGULATIONS ON SMOKE ALARMS IN THE UK?

You can find the building regulations for smoke alarms in the UK online at the legislation.gov.uk website. There are different rules depending on location and type of property. 

 

Smoke alarms in new homes

England and Wales

  • Regulation 38 of the Building Regulations 2010 (as amended) requires that, in new dwellings, contractors must install and interlink smoke alarms powered by a permanent power supply
  • Smoke alarms must be mains-powered and have a battery backup
  • They should install smoke alarms in circulation spaces, such as hallways and landings
  • At least one smoke alarm should be on each floor for a dwelling
  • Homes with a boiler, or other heat-producing appliance, need to also have a carbon monoxide alarm in the same room.

Northern Ireland

  • Smoke detector regulations are governed by Technical Booklet E – Fire Safety (under the Building Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2012)
  • At least one smoke alarm on every storey containing a habitable room
  • Smoke alarms must be mains-powered with battery backup and should be interlinked
  • A heat detector is required in kitchens
  • Smoke alarms should be located in circulation spaces such as hallways and landings.

 

Smoke alarms in EXISTING homes

England and Wales

  • No specific legal requirements cover smoke alarms in existing homes that the occupants own. However, landlords are legally required to install smoke alarms on each floor of an existing rented property where there is living accommodation. [1]

  • There is currently no legal requirement to upgrade to mains-powered alarms unless renovation or extension work is being carried out that triggers Building Regulation compliance

  • While it might not be law, the UK government’s Fire Kills campaign recommends fitting smoke alarms on every floor of your home, including in each bedroom.

 

Smoke alarms in new and EXISTING homes

Scotland
Since February 2022, all homes in Scotland, regardless of ownership or tenancy, must comply with the following:

  • Smoke detector regulations, are outlined in the Technical Handbook (Domestic) – Fire, and bolstered by the Housing (Scotland) Act 1987 (as amended)
  • At least one smoke alarm installed in the living room or the room most used during the day
  • At least one smoke alarm in every hallway and landing
  • One heat alarm in every kitchen
  • All alarms must be interlinked, either via hardwiring or radio frequency
  • A carbon monoxide alarm must be fitted in any room containing a fuel-burning appliance or a flue.

Additionally, alarms must be ceiling-mounted and comply with British Standards:

  • Smoke alarms: BS EN 14604
  • Heat alarms: BS 5446-2
  • CO alarms: British Kitemark or CE marked and meet EN 50291-1

Scotland also encourages the use of 10-year sealed battery units for both smoke and heat alarms to minimise maintenance and ensure long-term performance. [2]

 

WHERE SHOULD YOU INSTALL SMOKE ALARMS IN YOUR HOME?

While there are no specific legal requirements, the recommendation is to fit a fire alarm on every floor of your home, including: 

  • The living room
  • Bedrooms
  • Landings and hallways
  • The dining room. 

and in every room where this is a fire risk. Find out more:  London-Fire.gov.uk

 

HOW MANY SMOKE ALARMS SHOULD YOU HAVE IN YOUR HOUSE?

Each property has different needs, so the answer to how many smoke alarms you should have depends on many factors including: 

  • Property address
  • The property’s size
  • How many floors it has
  • Its layout.

 

WHERE SHOULD YOU PLACE SMOKE ALARMS IN YOUR HOME?

  • As smoke naturally rises, put alarms on ceilings or high up on walls, allowing them to detect smoke as soon as it enters a room, giving you the earliest possible warning.
  • Place alarms centrally in the room because this ensures the alarm is closest to all points in the room, maximising its ability to detect smoke.
  • Put alarms 300mm from any corner to allow proper air circulation.
  • Don’t place them near windows, doors or ducts as the air flow may affect how they detect smoke.

 

HOW TO TEST YOUR SMOKE ALARMS

  • Check the alarm’s power source (battery or mains).
  • Press the test button for up to 10 seconds until the smoke alarm begins to sound. This tests the sensor, electronics and the sounder. The alarm will stop when you release the button.
  • Check for warning lights – red or amber lights can indicate an issue.
  • Test alarms at least once a month.

 

HOW TO MAINTAIN YOUR SMOKE ALARMS

  • Test alarms monthly.
  • Clean your smoke alarm quarterly.
    • Vacuum the outside.
    • Gently wipe the alarm to remove dust etc.
    • Don’t use cleaning chemicals on the unit.
  • Replace the batteries yearly.

 

HOW OFTEN SHOULD YOU REPLACE YOUR SMOKE ALARMS AT HOME?

You should replace smoke alarms every 10 years, even if they still work. If you’re not sure of their age, you canusually find the manufacture date on the unit’s back.

 

HOW DO YOU KNOW WHEN A SMOKE ALARM BATTERY NEED CHANGING?

The signs to look out for that tell your alarm battery needs changing. They are:

  • Low battery warning sound
  • Indicator light
  • Test button not responding
  • Alarm sound when there is no smoke

 

CAN SMOKE ALARMS AFFECT YOUR HOUSE INSURANCE ?

The answer is that it depends on the terms of your home insurance policy.  Some insurance companies may offer discounts for homes with smoke alarms. However, if you have a fire at your home and the smoke alarms aren’t working or don’t meet the required standards, your insurance company may reduce your payout or reject your claim entirely.

 

FAQs 

SHOULD YOU HAVE A SMOKE ALARM IN EVERY BEDROOM?

Should you have a smoke alarm in every bedroom, you might ask. No official requirements say you must but fire safety experts recommend them as a warning to people who are especially vulnerable while asleep.

Sleeping individuals might not notice smoke or flames quickly, or at all, so a bedroom alarm provides an early alert that can prevent injury and save lives. 

WHAT TYPE OF SMOKE ALARM SHOULD YOU USE IN YOUR HOUSE?

If you wonder what type of smoke alarm you should use in your house, the answer is that three different smoke alarms are in common use:

  • Ionisation smoke alarms – detect fast-flaming fires. They contain a weak radioactive source that ionises the air inside it. When smoke enters the chamber, it disrupts the flow of ions and activates the alarm. They’re suitable for most rooms but are often installed on landings and in hallways.
  • Photoelectric smoke alarms – best for sensing slow-burning, smouldering fires and good for bedrooms and living rooms. They also work well in kitchens or near bathrooms, where false alarms might be more common due to steam. The alarm is triggered when smoke enters the device and disturbs a light beam inside.
  • Combination smoke alarms – have sensors that detect smoke and carbon monoxide, making them ideal for use in areas where both risks might be present, like bedrooms, living rooms or near fuel-burning appliances in kitchens.

For many useful tips and advice about your home, go to Solved. 

Find out more about  Ageas home insurance.

Sources

[1] www.gov.uk

[2] westbasedirect.com