Tips for carbon monoxide safety

Millions of British homes don’t have a carbon monoxide alarm and if this applies to yours, it could be putting you and your family at risk

1Potentially deadly carbon monoxide is created when a fuel (gas, oil, solid fuels, etc) isn’t burning correctly and is usually – although not exclusively – emitted from faulty gas boilers, fires and cookers. The symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning include headaches, dizziness, weakness and chest pain, so it can easily be confused with other illnesses, especially the flu. Carbon monoxide has no colour, taste or smell, which makes spotting faulty appliances hard – unless, of course, you fit carbon monoxide alarms. Wired-in alarms should be installed by an electrician and are always on (unless the power’s off), but most of us have batterypowered alarms. These have either replaceable batteries, or sealed-for-life batteries that can’t be replaced and usually last between seven and 10 years.

2Make sure your alarm complies with EN 50291 (this should be on the box) and has a quality certification, such as the British Standards Kitemark. The cheapest and simplest detectors only give a visual indicator – they change colour when detecting carbon monoxide, for example – but an audible alarm is much safer. Hearing an alarm could save your life, especially at night when you’re asleep and wouldn’t see a visual change. Having alarms that are linked (this can be done wirelessly – look for the Wi-Safe 2 logo) could also save your life because if one alarm goes off, they all will.

3When you get a new carbon monoxide alarm, fit it according to the installation guide – it should be 1m-3m from the fuel-burning appliance, for example. Test the alarm straightaway so you know that it works and what it sounds like, so you don’t confuse it with your smoke alarms, and then remember to test it once a week.

4A carbon monoxide alarm should be fitted on every floor of your home (ideally in all the bedrooms) and in every room with a fuel-burning appliance or a flue, even if it’s concealed. Go to www.projectshout.com for more information on alarms and carbon monoxide in general.

5Many fuel-burning appliances, such as boilers, should be serviced annually to ensure they’re safe and working efficiently, something we often forget to do. A boiler service, which includes safety checks, among other things, must be carried out by a Gas Safe Register engineer (www.gassafe register.co.uk), or OFTEC registered (www.oftec.org.uk) for oilfired boilers.