Waking up on January 1st 2000, all you hear is the sound of silence. Your alarm clock failed to ring, the tea maker is not busy brewing your morning cuppa, no sounds of television drift up the stairs and when you look out of the window, you see burglars emptying your neighbour's house - but no intruder alarm is ringing.

Could this really happen or are we panicking unnecessarily? "There has been a lot of ill-informed and inaccurate speculation about the impact the bug will have on everyday household appliances," according to Don Cruikshank, chairman of the British government's Action 2000 programme.

Despite rumour and speculation, it appears most appliances in the home will not be affected as they are not datesensitive. According to current reports from manufacturers, your oven, microwave, television, freezer, washing machine and phone will operate as normal.

However, items such as VCRs, burglar alarms, computers, digital cameras, answerphones and camcorders may stop working on January 1st, because their internal clocks may be unable to recognise the new century. Or they may demonstrate problems on February 29th as 2000 is a leap year.

Although most manufacturers claim Y2K compliance for high-tech products on sale now, purchasers of new items should double-check with the retailer, according to Carmel Foley, director of the Office of Consumer Affairs.

If such products malfunction because of the bug, consumers are covered by the Sale of Goods Act which states that goods must be fit for the purpose sold. In the run-up to 2000, "fit purpose" must include Y2K compliance, Foley says. If the bug affects your new computer or digital camera you can claim against the retailer.

Foley has been urging manufacturers to carry out testing and to publicise the results "to avoid nasty shocks". She believes the main cause for concern is "elderly appliances" which are less likely to be bug-proof and may not be covered under the "fit purpose" clause.

But at what point does "fit purpose" apply to products containing the troublesome embedded chip? "It appears that goods purchased before the past three or four years will not be covered by the Sale of Goods Act," Foley says.

The best way to be sure, for example, whether your burglar alarm will function as you sleep through your millennium hangover is to contact the manufacturers. Check the model and year of your VCR or computer has passed the roll-over test and get a guarantee in writing.

Many domestic appliances will continue to function but may become confused and display an incorrect date. In some cases, this can be changed manually, following the makers' guide.

Most manufacturers have now tested their older products and may have discovered some models which show non-compliance.

The majority of manufacturers have produced leaflets and are happy to answer phone enquiries. For Y2K statements, check out a UK website (http:// domestic.bug2000.co.uk.html).

Standard household insurance does not cover mechanical breakdown, which includes malfunction caused by the millennium bug - your insurance company will not replace your burglar alarm if it fails to ring. The Irish Insurance Federation says, however, that if your alarm fails and a burglary occurs, your insurance will cover anything that is stolen in the usual way. For extended warranties and service agreements, however, check there is no millennium-exclusion clause.

Advance preparation seems to be the key if you don't want to begin the new century with some unpleasant surprises. "We ask consumers to be prudent," says Peter Dargan, chairman of the Consumer Association of Ireland, "and look at anything which has a chip."