Ideally, there should be at least one individual in every home who is responsible for safety within it, according to an industry expert.

Leigh Greenham, a spokesperson for the Carbon Monoxide Consumer Awareness Alliance (COCAA), explains that in an ideal world, everyone would take such measures into consideration, by paying attention to devices such as smoke alarms.

He notes it is unlikely that people would think about the matter all the time, but rather on a frequent basis.

Mr Greenham states: "They would regularly think: 'Did I get that service done? Have I replaced the battery in my smoke alarm? Have I tested it recently? Have I got an electronic audible alarm?'"

Regularly testing smoke alarms could well provide people with an advanced warning should a fire break out, potentially limiting the damage a blaze causes and reducing the size of a subsequent home insurance claim.

A study carried out by Opinion Matters and Tickbox.net last month found 88 per cent of households have a smoke alarm.

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