Home expert issues stark warning about part of your house you should definitely be Hoovering but probably aren’t
A HOME expert has revealed there’s one crucial part of your house you should be hoovering – but probably aren’t.
Chris Moorhouse from Wickes warned that letting dust build up on your smoke alarm could cost your life in case of an emergency.
According to the safety whizz, you should be hoovering your smoke alarm every six months.
This is because a build-up of dust can affect the sensor and stop it from going off early enough in case of a fire.
“It’s recommended that you vacuum your smoke alarm every six months to remove any build-up of dust,” Chris explained.
“You can do this using the soft brush attachment.
“Simply run it along the sides and face of the device.”
The effects of a fire in the home can be devastating.
In the year 2022-2023, there were 26,822 dwelling fires.
Fire detection devices, like smoke alarms and heat alarms, alert us early of any danger and save lives.
But without maintaining yours correctly, you could put yourself in grave danger.
“As the name suggests, a smoke alarm detects smoke and should be fitted in all rooms where a fire could start,” Chris said.
“Heat alarms, on the other hand, detect increases in temperature and are better for steamy, smokey or dusty rooms such as bathrooms, kitchens and workshops.”
You should also maintain your smoke alarms by changing the batteries regularly.
According to Chris, 90 people die each year because their alarm batteries were either flat or missing.
“You should routinely replace batteries,” he warned.
“It’s usually advisable to do this once a year but refer to the manufacturer’s instructions.
“In addition to this, your home insurance may be invalid if you are deemed not to have taken proper fire safety precautions.
“This includes removing the batteries from an alarm.”
When it comes to testing your smoke alarm, Fire England recommend testing it every month.
Fire England explained: “Testing smoke alarms tests the smoke sensor as well as the power supply and/or battery.
“Test them by pressing the button until the alarm sounds. If it doesn’t sound, you need to replace the battery.”