Tips on smoke and carbon monoxide detectors

1. Choose the right smoke detector. Interconnected smoke detectors are a good solution if your home has multiple floors. Smart smoke detectors not only sound an audible alarm but also send a push notification to your phone. An optical smoke detector uses an infrared beam and warns you whenever smoke interrupts the beam. There are also smoke detectors for hearing impaired people.
2. Choose a smoke detector with a battery that will last 10 years to be sure that you will be warned in time over the coming 10 years.
3. Fit smoke detectors in the right place, i.e. on the ceiling. The ideal place is roughly 50 centimetres from a wall or corner and around 30 centimetres from a light. Don’t install a smoke detector near a fan, above your heating or in a damp space such as a bathroom.
4. Clean both the inside and the outside of smoke detectors once a month using a moist cloth or vacuum cleaner. It’s also a good idea to regularly test your smoke detector’s battery.
5. Install a smoke detector in your bedroom as well. This is because you cannot smell anything while you sleep, so you won’t smell smoke either.

While carbon monoxide detectors, also known as CO detectors, are not compulsory like smoke detectors, they are certainly recommended. They protect you, your family members, and your housemates against hazardous gases such as carbon monoxide, which is also known as CO. Every year, there are several cases where people are harmed by or even die from carbon monoxide poisoning. Carbon monoxide poisoning can be caused by a poorly maintained or faulty combustion appliance, or when you burn gas, oil, or wood in an enclosed space such as when you have a barbecue in a closed party tent.

1. Examples of combustion appliances include devices that are fired by gas, such as a fireplace, combination boiler, central heating boiler, heater, pellet burner, water heater, and gas oven. If you have a combustion appliance in your home, make sure you install a carbon monoxide detector.
2. Choose a combo detector, which is a smoke detector and a carbon monoxide detector rolled into one. The combo detector must be installed in the same room as a combustion appliance such as a central heating boiler or gas oven.
3. Put the carbon monoxide detector as high up as possible at a horizontal distance of around one to three metres from the combustion appliance.

Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors will give you an early warning of danger, but they will not prevent fire. Fortunately, ABN AMRO home contents insurance and home insurance will have you covered in the event of fire damage. Click here to read what you can do in case of fire damage.

If you already have home contents insurance, make sure you regularly check whether your policy still gives you the right cover. You can check this online or on your policy.

Has your home been damaged by fire? We’re sorry to hear that. We hope you and your family are OK. Instead of starting to repair things right away, contact your insurer first to submit a claim. If you have home contents insurance or home insurance with ABN AMRO, you can submit your claim online.