If your stove was installed before October 2012 then you may not be aware that all subsequent stove installations since that date are legally required to include a fixed CO detector with a minimum 5 year battery life and a failure warning, which should be located within the same room as the stove. This is different from a smoke detector and is critical in ensuring the health and safety of you and your family by helping you to avoid potential 'invisible' carbon monoxide poisoning. So, if you haven't already got a CO detector or yours is of an older type and you're perhaps not sure if it
conforms to the latest standards (EN 50291) then please play it safe and buy a new one now. It could be a real life -saver.
Always follow the manufacturer's individual instructions on precisely where to locate the CO detector and check it at least once a month or more often during the heating season if you can. General location guidelines are below:
• The ideal place for your CO detector is on the ceiling above the stove (300mm / 12" away from the wall) or on the front wall of the chimney breast above the stove (again 300mm / 12" below the ceiling line and 300mm / 12" in from the corner of the chimney breast).
•Remember the CO detector should be permanently fixed in place, not in dead air space such as an internal ceiling corner which is well away from the stove
•Fix it where it won't be damaged by the heat of the stove for, example not inside the fireplace opening itself and not out of sight
•Fix it well above the stove but not higher than 3m (10')
•If you're fixing it to a wall then ensure it's 300mm (12") below the ceiling and at least the same distance away from any internal corner
