A fire in your home will spread very rapidly but the real killer is the smoke. Having a smoke alarm fitted in your home provides an early warning to a fires presence and will allow you and your family to escape to safety.

How to choose a smoke alarm

Depending on your needs and budget there are several models of smoke alarm to choose from. Your local fire brigade will be happy to give you further information about them.

Power Supply

A lot of people often forget to check their smoke alarm batteries, so the best choice of power supply is one that lasts longest. There are four options available.

Standard battery alarms
Standard battery alarms are the most basic alarms and the cheapest available. But batteries will need to be tested every week and replaced once a year.

Alarms with 10 year batteries
These are slightly more expensive but you will save on the cost of replacement batteries.

Mains-powered alarms
Mains powered alarms are powered by the household's mains supply and solve the problem of checking the battery. They need to be installed by a qualified electrician. Prices start at about £15, but you need to add the cost of the fitting. It's worthwhile thinking about this option if you are having other electrical work done in your home.

Alarms that plug into a light socket
This type of alarm use a rechargeable battery which is charged up when the light is turned on. It is important to make sure you turn the light on often enough to keep the battery charged up. They start at about £20.