- 23 November 2020
- By D&J Radford
- Residential
Smoke Alarms
Fires are the cause of a number of tragic deaths each year. Many fatal fires happen when people are asleep and are unaware of the fire until it is too late to escape. The installation of working smoke alarms provides a critical early warning to occupants.
Recent legislation specifies the type of smoke alarms to be installed, positioning of the alarms and a requirement that they be interconnected. Old ionisation smoke alarms are often slow to react so the legislation now requires the installation of photoelectric smoke alarms that detect smoke and provide an early warning.
The new smoke alarm requirements in residences are:
- Photoelectric type only
- Hard wired to the electricity supply or non-removable 10-year battery powered alarms
- Interconnected to other smoke alarms
- Installed in each bedroom
- Installed in hallways serving bedrooms
- Installed in the exit path on each level of the residence
From 1 January 2017, new residences or major renovations on residences require compliance with the new standards for smoke alarms.
As of 1 January 2022, all homes and units being sold or leased or on lease renewal, must comply with the new legislative requirements for smoke alarms. Smoke alarms must also be maintained through regular cleaning and testing. A test can be performed by pushing the ‘test’ button. Cleaning should be done in line with the manufacturer’s instructions.
On 1 January 2027 all residences will be required to meet the new standard for smoke alarms in residences.
THIS WORK MUST BE PERFORMED BY AN ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR