Posted on 22 November 2021
Posted on 22 November 2021
According to the latest government statistics, cooking fires are the main cause of fires within the home, but faulty electrics cause around 4,000 fires each year.
This is why, Electrical Safety First are running Electrical Fire Safety Week from 22 to 28 November to raise awareness of electrical fire risks and simple steps you can take to avoid a devastating fire in your home.
One of the most important ways you can do this is to make sure you have smoke alarms correctly installed at home.
There are four main types of fire alarm:
Smart Alarms: some smart alarm systems can test for both smoke and carbon monoxide. These let you know what’s wrong and can alert your smart phone whether you’re at home or away. Smart alarms can also self-test to make sure your batteries are okay.
The Fire Service recommend that you put at least one smoke detector on each level of your home. It’s also wise to install extra alarms in rooms with large appliances such as televisions and fridge-freezers.
It’s important to fit smoke alarms where you’ll be able to hear them if you’re asleep. Don’t install a smoke alarm in your bathroom as steam may set some alarms off accidentally.
Fit your smoke alarm to your ceiling, as close to the centre of the room/hallway as possible. Keep at least 30cm away from walls and light fittings.
You shouldn’t fit a smoke alarm in kitchens or garages where they could be set off accidentally by steam or smoke. You should instead install a heat detector in the kitchen; this will detect any increase in temperature due to a fire but won’t be set off easily by cooking smoke.
There are a wide range of products to help protect all members of your family. Low frequency alarms sound at a lower pitch than regular alarms, meaning they’re more likely to wake younger children, older people and those with hearing difficulties.
You can also get strobe alarms which flash repeatedly to alert your household to the danger and even pads which can be placed under a pillow which vibrate to provide additional warnings. When used in conjunction with regular smoke alarms, you can make sure everyone in your household is safe.
Every year, half of accidental domestic fires are caused by electricity, with over five fires a day in England being caused by white goods – such as tumble dryers, washing machines and dishwashers -alone.
If you take out Premium Complete Home Emergency Cover before a problem develops, not only will we help you if you suffer the failure of at least one complete electrical circuit within the home bit we’ll assist you to repair or replace any system after your supply meter which causes your main electrical wiring system to stop working.
We also offer Appliance Cover where you can insure up to ten of your most important kitchen appliances, such as dishwasher, washing machine, tumble dryer, and oven, against mechanical or electrical breakdowns.
To find out more about our boiler and central heating insurance, plumbing and drainage insurance or other types of home care cover plans, such as Complete Home Emergency plans and home appliances cover, contact our friendly team on 0330 09 48 301. You can even request a call back to discuss your requirements or get a quote online.