As well as changing the battery if need be, your actual alarm will likely need replacing around every ten years. This is the recommended deadline to ensure you still have the most effective system for your home, and it isn’t clogged up with smoke particles.

Some smart models sound an alarm on your smartphone and through the alarm itself when triggered – this is the most helpful kind of smart alarm. In Scotland, since February 2022, interlinked smoke and heat alarms have needed to be fitted in all homes.

Their distinguishing feature is the fact that they can be linked to other alarms, both heat and smoke alarms, so that when one senses danger they all sound. Don’t think that CO alarms are just for your home, either. They’re essential for caravans and motorhomes, and you might even want to take one on holiday if you’re staying in a cottage or self-catering accommodation. Are there any features worth looking out for? So if you’re out of your home and not near your phone when the messages come through, you’ll have no way of knowing the alarm was sounding. It’s also worth noting that the test button on these devices doesn’t actually test the sensor – it only makes sure that the circuit’s working.

All of these concentrations are bad enough when you’re awake and realise that something isn’t quite right – especially if others are feeling a similar effect – but if you’re asleep, you may wake up with a severe headache and nausea and be incapable of even crawling for fresh air. Worse, you might not even wake up at all. Why should I be concerned? A combination alarm if you’re concerned about CO as well as fires. The voice alarm will tell you which concern has been detected, so you know how exactly you need to react. For a person to begin feeling the effects of carbon monoxide poisoning, they would need to be exposed to a carbon monoxide level of 50 parts per million (ppm) for eight hours. An alarm’s response time will vary depending on the level of carbon monoxide in the air. For example, an alarm will sound after three and a half hours of continuous exposure at a level of 50ppm, yet will sound after eight minutes of continuous exposure at a level of 400ppm.” We like the added touch of the lighting, which can sync with the alarm but also illuminate your path to safety if necessary. There is a ten-year battery built-in, and it isn’t replaceable so bear this in mind before you buy. Ionisation– More like an electric nose. These are often the less expensive type. They detect physical smoke particles as opposed to seeing the signs of a fire. The particles enter the ionisation chamber through open vents, and the current inside the chamber is changed. This causes the alarm to sound. They are best for placement in landings and hallways, but not too close to kitchens or bathrooms as they are prone to false alarms.

Pricing & Availability

The ten-year battery should last for the full replacement deadline period, and as it is a standalone product, you don’t need any fancy smart hubs or controls to get it working, or any of Netatmo’s range of cameras/sensors. These alarms are more sensitive to smaller particles of smoke produced by the flaming stage of fires than optical alarms, and more easily triggered by cooking – causing false alarms. Nest Home is one of the best smart home systems available, with a huge range of heating and lighting support available. Their Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm is a must-have in the collection.

The Nest Protect is very easy to set up: simply remove the battery tab, launch the app, log in to your Wi-Fi, give it a name (kitchen, lounge and so on) and mount it in a suitably elevated place on a wall. The dust- and fireproof design is another reason to go with this smoke alarm. The body is made of the ABS+PC plastic that is flame-retardant and can withstand high temperatures. As for the battery, it is extra durable and will serve you for up to 5 years. What’s more, it can be easily changed by a complete beginner with no prior experience. It is the property owner’s responsibility to meet this new standard. Households with alarms already fitted will need to ensure that they are interlinked so they will be alerted immediately no matter where the fire starts.

Protect yourself from undetectable carbon monoxide leaks with the best CO alarms on the market

Carbon monoxide is known as the silent killer because you can’t smell it, taste it or see it. Once it enters your bloodstream, it invades the red blood cells (haemoglobin), preventing them from carrying oxygen around the body. Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning include a flu-like headache, dizziness and nausea followed by tiredness, confusion, breathlessness, weakness, loss of muscular coordination and – dare I mention it – death. CO is so odourless that even dogs can’t detect it. How do CO alarms work? Pros: Good for bedrooms, landings and hallways, and near to kitchens as they aren’t as prone to false alarms from cooking.

If you own a Nest smoke and CO alarm, you will be able to continue to use it but it will need to be in addition to interlinked smoke and heat alarms. Heat (thermal) alarms detect heat (hot air) instead of smoke. The alarm is triggered when the temperature within the sensor chamber reaches over 58 degrees Celsius – generally when a fire is well established.

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The latter are pricier when you buy for the first time, but you won't have to factor in the expense of replacement battery costs. It is nowlaw in Northern Ireland to fit a Carbon Monoxide alarm near any appliancethat burns any type of fuel (gas, wood, oil or coal) except for a cooker. Typical installations include near the boiler and/or gas fireplace/multi-fuel burner. Thankfully, there’s an early-warning solution in the form of a carbon monoxide alarm that costs only a few pounds more than a smoke alarm. Be aware, though, that not all CO detectors are sensitive enough and some no-name brands are downright useless – and, therefore, dangerous. Ensure you opt for a reputable brand such as FireAngel, First Alert, Kidde, Nest or Lifesaver. Officially seen as the World’s smallest smoke alarm at just 4cm in diameter, this Cavius is not just a novelty. If you need a bit of a visual guidance, it is basically the size of a golf ball. Despite its size, it works just as well as its larger rivals.