For the safety of you and your family, it’s essential you have a working smoke or heat alarm.
It will warn you of a fire starting, which will give you more time to escape. This is especially important at night, when you are asleep.
We provide smoke or heat alarms in all our homes which should activate in the event of a fire, making a loud beeping sound. They are normally fitted in the hallway and landings within your home, and sometimes in the kitchen too.
Make sure your smoke or heat alarm is working
It’s your responsibility to test your smoke or heat alarms in your home regularly and replace the batteries when needed. We recommend you test them weekly.
How to test your smoke or heat alarm
Press and hold the test button on the unit, until the alarm sounds. If it doesn’t sound, you may need to replace the battery.
If you can’t reach the alarms, it’s safer to use a stick, like a broom or mop handle, to push the test button, rather than stand on a chair or steps.
Replacement batteries can be purchased at most local shops. Once you replace and fit the battery, test it to make sure it’s working.
Are my smoke or heat alarms mains or battery operated?
Mains operated smoke or heat alarms, connected to the building’s electricity supply, will have a steady green LED light to show it has power. Battery operated smoke or heat alarms will have a quick flash every 30-45 seconds.
What if you can’t hear the smoke or heat alarm?
If you’re deaf or have hearing loss, it’s vital that you have a smoke alarm system fitted in your home that can alert you to potential danger. These systems don’t just rely on loud noise to alert you, they include sensory alerts specially for people with hearing loss, such as:
- Vibrating pads
- Vibrating pagers
- Flashing lights
Please contact us to let us know if you‘re deaf or have hearing loss so we can discuss options for you.
What to do if you don’t have heat or smoke alarms in your home
If you don’t have heat or smoke alarms in your home, or they aren’t working and you haven’t yet reported this to us, please let us know by calling us on 0800 432 0077. We’re open Monday to Friday from 8.30am to 5.30pm.