The Importance of Fitting Oil Boiler Carbon Monoxide Monitors

In October 2015, a bill was passed in Parliament by the former Housing Minister, Brandon Lewis, making it the law for landlords to install working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms in their properties. 

Fast forward to 2022, The Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (England) Regulations Act 2015 is the legal standard for the rental industry. The bill requires landlords to fit at least one smoke alarm on each floor of a property where a room is being fully or partly used as living accommodation. There are no caveats to installing smoke alarms; however, carbon monoxide detector installation is only necessary for a room containing a solid fuel-burning appliance. Installing a smoke alarm and a carbon monoxide alarm is vital for the preventative health of residents and can be a life-saver.

Do oil boilers produce carbon monoxide?

A common misconception is that only gas-burning appliances produce carbon monoxide. However, any appliance that burns fuel incompletely is possible of producing carbon monoxide. Due to this, as oil burners use heating oil, there is a risk of the oil burner leaking and producing carbon monoxide.

Do I need a carbon monoxide detector with an oil boiler?

Carbon monoxide is extremely dangerous, and carbon monoxide poisoning can happen in as little as 5 minutes. Installing a carbon monoxide detector helps alert residents of a carbon monoxide leak, helping them escape a potentially deadly situation. Carbon monoxide from an oil boiler is a potential risk, so we deem it sensible for you to install a carbon monoxide detector with an oil boiler.

Can you get carbon monoxide poisoning from an oil burner?

Carbon monoxide has no smell or appearance, hence the nickname of ‘the silent killer’. Installing a carbon monoxide detector helps alert residents of a carbon monoxide leak, helping them escape a potentially deadly situation. Without a carbon monoxide detector, there’s a risk that you could get carbon monoxide poisoning from an oil burner, if the leak wasn’t identified quickly.

Fitting an oil boiler carbon monoxide detector.

We always recommend hiring a professional to fit your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, but it’s always good practice to pay attention and absorb basic information regarding your appliances. Below, we have listed a few key facts to remember:

• When a new or replacement fixed fuel-burning appliance is installed in a dwelling, a CO alarm should be fitted in the same room where the appliance is located. This includes privately rented properties.
• A CO alarm should comply with BS EN 50291:2001 and be powered by an appropriate battery.
• Alarms should have warning devices within them, used to alert users when the alarm’s working life is nearly complete.
• A CO alarm should either be fitted onto the ceiling at least 300mm from any wall, or on a wall as high up as possible (above any doors and windows), but not within 150mm of the ceiling. Furthermore, the alarm should be between 1m-3m horizontally away from the appliance.

For further details about getting your heating oil boiler serviced, repaired or replaced, or for information about our heating oil available for purchase, please get in touch with our friendly team. For more oil advice, such as why you should service your boiler, check out our blog.