Smoke alarms play a key role in helping people escape a fire. They also help to reduce the risk of death.
All smoke alarms in Australia must comply to an Australian standard. It’s a requirement which manufacturers and retailers must adhere to.
Requirements
There are many requirements when it comes to smoke alarm installation. This can vary from state to state and even across different buildings or types of housing.
Smoke alarms must be installed in residential buildings, on or near the ceiling of every storey, in a position designed to wake sleeping occupants and give them time and safe passage to evacuate. This is a very important safety requirement and it saves lives.
In addition to this there are special requirements for stairways, sloping ceilings and other features of a building.
In Queensland, all dwellings must have smoke alarms installed that comply with Australian Standard 3786:2014 from 1 January 2017. This includes new and substantially renovated homes.
Installation
Smoke alarms are required to be installed in every bedroom and hallway of a residential property. They should be positioned to wake sleeping occupants and to detect smoke in the area so they can safely evacuate.
Typically the ceiling is the best location since the smoke is usually rising, however it is recommended that they be placed on or near a wall for maximum detection potential. Check with your local building code and manufacturer’s instructions for recommendations on where to install your smoke alarms.
Queensland — Currently all new properties, and all significant renovations must be fitted with photoelectric, interconnected smoke alarms in each bedroom as well as hallways of residences. From 1st January 2017 these requirements will be extended to all rental properties and property sales.
NSW — Since 23 March 2020 a landlord or agent must test and replace the batteries in all smoke alarms in residential rental properties every year. They must also service and replace smoke alarms within 10 years of manufacture or replacement.
Maintenance
Australian safety standards require domestic smoke detectors to be tested and maintained regularly in order to maintain their quality and function. Smoke alarms play a significant role in reducing the number of house fires and deaths in homes.
Smoke alarms can have issues such as a build-up of dust and particles that interfere with the smoke sensor, restricting their activation or causing false alarms. This makes them even more important to test and clean on a regular basis.
Having a professional smoke alarm servicer inspect your property’s smoke alarms is essential for meeting the requirements of Australian Standard 3786–2014 and protecting tenants. Technicians can ensure that all smoke alarms meet the requirements and replace any that do not.
From 1 January 2022, Queensland rental properties must be fitted with interconnected smoke alarms. This requires technicians to test each alarm to see that it operates the alarm sound in all other alarms.
Testing
Smoke alarms are an important part of a home fire safety system. They provide early warnings that can prevent deaths and help alert neighbours of a fire, especially at night when occupants are asleep and not aware of the fire.
In Australia, every dwelling needs a working smoke alarm that complies with the Australian Standard. They are usually mains powered with batteries to provide backup in case of power loss.
Generally, it is recommended that smoke alarms are tested and tagged on a regular basis. This ensures they have a long effective life.
The smoke alarm should also be cleaned once a month and have the battery replaced at least once per year if it is mains powered.
There are two main types of smoke alarms used in residential buildings, photoelectric and ionisation. Both types are able to detect slow smouldering or dense smoke while ionisation can also sense colourless, odourless carbon monoxide.