The gas alarm to protect your home from gas leaks and fires

Gas detectors must be installed near gas terminal installations

A gas alarm consists of a gas alarm with an integrated sound siren. The gas detector warns the occupants of the house in the event of a gas leak. It is a small device that detects the presence of gas before its concentration reaches the Lower Explosion Limit (L.I.E) and alerts the occupants of the home with a loud beep. Depending on the model, the gas alarm can be connected to a wired or wireless alarm system.

There are two types of gas detector:

• The natural gas detector or “town gas” for methane.
• The gas detector for butane and propane.

What is Locations for the installation of gas detectors?

Gas detectors must be installed near gas terminal installations:

• Between 1 and 4 meters from the gas boiler, gas stove, etc …

Please note that natural gas detectors and butane and propane detectors do not have the same location:

• The natural gas detector must be installed at the top of the wall between 30 and 40 cm below the ceiling.
• The butane and propane detector should be installed at the bottom of the wall between 30 and 40 cm above the ground.

The methane that is present in natural gas is lighter than air so it rises and will end up trapped at the top of the room. This is why you have to install this type of detector near the ceiling.

Butane and propane are the opposite of methane, they are heavier than air and will therefore move towards the ground or they will stagnate. This is why this type of detector should be installed near the ground.

Complements for home protection

Gas detectors are not enough to protect your home from an incident. Gas detectors will warn you of a gas leak but will not react to fire or carbon monoxide poisoning.

The installation of gas detectors is already good, but it is not enough to ensure optimal protection of the home.

For optimal protection of a home, you must also install:

• Smoke detectors to prevent a fire.
• Carbon monoxide detectors to prevent air poisoning.
• One or more fire blankets.
• One or more fire extinguishers.
• A first aid kit.