Checking your smoke alarm and carbon monoxide alarm regularly is really important. Not only does it keep you and your family safe, but it keeps your neighbours and those around you safe too.
What kind of alarms do I have in my home?
All of our homes are equipped with smoke alarms. These will alert you to smoke and a potential fire in the home.
If you have a gas connection, you will also have Carbon Monoxide alarms (known as CO detectors) in any room that has gas appliances (excluding gas cookers).
How often should I test my alarms?
You should test your smoke alarm at least once a month. You can test it by pressing the test button, which should ring with an alarm to show it’s working correctly.
If your smoke alarm beeps intermittently, this means the battery is low and it needs to be changed. If it’s battery-operated you may be able to change the battery yourself. If the battery is sealed in the alarm, please contact our Customer Hub on 0345 60 20 540 to arrange a replacement.
You should also test your CO alarm once a month. You can do this by pressing and holding the test button on the alarm until you hear fast, repeated, loud beeping lasting several seconds. This indicates that the CO alarm is working.
What should I do if there’s a problem with my alarm?
If you think your smoke alarm or carbon monoxide alarm are faulty, you need to let us know immediately by phoning 0345 60 20 540. We’ll arrange a repair as soon as possible or we will replace the device completely.
It’s really important to keep on top of your monthly alarm checks. You can set a monthly reminder on your phone to test them, so you don’t forget – or follow us on our social media channels (Facebook and X) where we post monthly reminders! Read more on fire safety and gas safety here.
