Public 'unaware of the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning'
Posted by Gary Winter
Having a carbon monoxide detector installed could help buy-to-let property owners avoid needing to make landlord liability insurance claims as well as protect tenants' safety.
According to Richard Clarke, chairman at plumbing and heating firm 1st Action, the public are generally much less aware of the threat to health of carbon monoxide poisoning as they are of other dangers in the home, such as fire, while the fact that the gas is odourless and tasteless makes it especially lethal.
As such, having a carbon monoxide alarm fitted is perhaps even more important than a smoke alarm, he claimed.
"I don't think people are still quite aware of the dangers and threats of carbon monoxide. By its very nature, it is more important that you have a carbon monoxide alarm because you can't smell it and you don't know it is there - you need some fitted equipment to tell you," Mr Clarke said.
"We have got fire alarms and smoke alarms, but carbon monoxide is not recognised equally despite the publicity, but it ought to be."
For landlords, fitting a carbon monoxide alarm can help protect the health of their tenants, while it could also help them avoid needing to claim on their landlord liability insurance to cover the cost of paying damages to occupants.
Mr Clarke's comments follow a recent study by the AA which revealed that less than 45 per cent of homeowners have a carbon monoxide detector in their property compared to 97 who have a smoke alarm fitted.
Meanwhile, figures from the Health and Safety Executive show that in the last five years, the number of incidents of carbon monoxide poisoning in the UK has risen by 90 per cent.
"Carbon monoxide is one of those invisible situations. Will it kill you? Yes it will. Will it kill you without any real warning? Yes it will," added Mr Clarke.
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