If, since 2015, smoke detectors have been made compulsory in all dwellings to prevent the risk of fire, carbon monoxide (CO) gas detectors are not required. These two threats which weigh on people, especially during their sleep, can however be covered by a single device: a
smoke and gas detector
. This will warn you if fumes are released from a fire or if the level of carbon monoxide concentration reaches an alarming level in the home. Audible alarm, visual signal, voice message… The types of warnings will depend on the product. Just like an outdoor surveillance camera, smoke and gas detector models ensure your safety.
There are indeed several 2-in-1 models designed to detect both fumes and deadly gases.
Remember that if the fumes are visible and perceptible thanks to the smell, a carbon monoxide leak is imperceptible by humans.
And about a thousand poisonings occur each year because of this gas, with an average of 3% of deaths resulting from this poisoning.
Hence the interest in protecting oneself against these two dangers using a device that embeds several sensors.
Discover our selection of smoke and gas detectors, from the simplest to the most advanced, but which all have the same efficiency.
Our selection :
Smoke and carbon monoxide detector, X-Sense SC01
Smoke and carbon monoxide detector, Fire Angel SCB10-INT
Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detector, X-Sense XP01
Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detector, X-Sense SC03
Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detector, X-Sense SC06
Is a smoke and gas detector mandatory in my house?
Since March 8, 2015, all dwellings must be equipped with at least one autonomous smoke detector (DAAF).
On the other hand, autonomous carbon monoxide alarm detectors (DAACO) are not yet subject to any legal obligation.
In addition, gas detectors, unlike smoke detectors, are not subject to construction products regulations.
Also, it is important to make sure that the smoke and gas detector you choose meets the standards to ensure your safety.
You should also know that, despite the obligation to install a smoke detector, the price of home insurance cannot be increased by the insurance company in the absence of a detector.
The insurer cannot refuse compensation in the event of a fire on the grounds that the detector was not installed.
What are the different types of smoke and gas detectors available on the market?
In DIY stores and on e-commerce platforms in particular, you will find dozens of smoke detector models due to its compulsory nature. To answer those people who are rightly worried about the diffusion of carbon monoxide in their home, CO gas detectors are also available on the market, but in a lesser quantity and with a more limited choice.
Today it is possible to find combined smoke and gas detectors.
This 2-in-1 product saves money, since it eliminates the need to buy two independent boxes.
It is also more ecological for the same reasons.
It is also less time spent installing these detectors even if the installation is generally very simple and fast.
Finally, these detectors often have nothing aesthetic in spite of the search for discretion.
Also, one box is better than two separate boxes.
According to which criteria and which standards should I choose my smoke and gas detector?
When buying a home, your top priority jobs should be safety. For example, you invest in a fence to enclose your property, but you must also make sure that the accommodation is equipped with at least one smoke detector. When we know the numbers of carbon monoxide poisoning and their severity, we also prefer to install a CO gas detector. Yes, but not just any case. To be sure you are well protected, demand a CE marked model that complies with European standard EN 14604.
As for the selection criteria, the differences are mainly made by the type of warning, but also by the battery.
Some models carry an irreplaceable battery, but which is supposed to last more than ten years, and others must be regularly checked, so that the case is always powered by batteries to be replaced.
There are also so-called smart models able to warn you via your smartphone when you are not at your home of the presence of smoke or of an excessively high carbon monoxide concentration level.
Where should a smoke and gas detector be installed?
As with a security camera, you must ask yourself the question of the most suitable place to place a smoke and gas detector. Kitchens and bathrooms should be avoided, rooms in which the generation of steam can disturb the sensors. We also avoid the rooms to prefer a more strategic, more central location. Thus, it is recommended to place them, depending on the configuration of the accommodation, in the middle of the corridor which serves the bedrooms. Gas and smoke poisoning occurs most often at night while the inhabitants are sleeping. During the day, when you are awake, you can generally feel the smoke quite quickly and you can react, which is not the case at night when a candle that you forgot to extinguish, for example, causes a fire. More precisely,you can put it on the ceiling or at the top of the wall (more practical for reading the information recorded by the detector), because the fumes accumulate in height, which allows a faster triggering of the fire alarm.
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