CO Alarm placement: what you need to know

In the UK there are strict rules regarding carbon monoxide in order to protect you from dangerous gas leaks. If you have a wood-burning, multi-fuel stove, pellet or gas stove/fire in your home then please read on to ensure you stay safe at all times. What the law says about detectors According to law in the UK, any wood-burning stove installed after October 2010 must have a carbon monoxide detector installed alongside it under Document J of the Building Regulations. If your appliance was installed before this date, then you are not required to have one by law, but it is wise to do so. Best practices for placement of detectors The regulations state that the alarm must be located in the same room as your appliance. It must be placed at least 5 feet above the door, or on the ceiling. You should not place it too close to your appliance and keep it out the way of children and pets. Where possible you should install more than one detector on each floor of your home. Why you need one Carbon monoxide detectors are activated when carbon monoxide is detected in the air. Carbon monoxide is poisonous both in low levels of repeat exposure and in high levels of short term exposure. Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning include dizziness, nausea, confusion, headaches and can be potentially fatal. Final thoughts Here at W&H Supplies all of our products are tested to the highest safety standards possible, however there are many outside events and variables that can occasionally lead to incomplete combustion which produces carbon monoxide. Quite often the culprit for carbon monoxide leaks is not in fact your appliance at all and is a problem with your chimney function – for example a problem with downdraft where smoke is released back into home. As well as regular chimney sweeping, you should make sure that your appliance is installed by a qualified and experienced fitter. In the same way that you would always purchase a fire alarm, if you are considering any of these types of appliances then you should pick up a detector, which costs very little and could save your life one day. Most CO alarms last between 5 and 10 years. Once you purchase your alarm we recommend that you set a reminder to check it once-a-week to ensure that it is still working as it should. W&H Supplies are the largest fireplace showroom in the south. Based near Arundel, West Sussex, we display over 250 fires and surrounds along with range cookers, accessories, mirrors, pictures, ornaments, kitchenware and giftware. Visit us in store or call us on 01903 885566.