SMOKE ALARM INSTALLATIONS AND REGULATIONS
Smoke detectors and alarms are now mandatory in Perth homes and offices. All properties for sale, transfer of ownership, rental or hire, as well as new home developments are required by law to be fitted with a smoke alarm. All smoke alarms must be hard-wired with a battery backup and be compliant with AS 3768 guidelines. All smoke detectors must be in working order and permanently connected to mains power. Smoke alarms must be replaced if they aren’t in good working order or are older than 10 years old.
Why Must I Have Smoke Alarms Hard-Wired?
If your property is subject to a fire and there are no hard-wired smoke alarms in place you may be fined from $1000 to $5000 for non-compliancy to the standard regulations. So why not let Metro Electrical 24 Hour Electricians install your smoke detectors for peace of mind and safety?
Smoke alarms have a limited working life and need to be replaced every 10 years. Hard-wired smoke alarms must be replaced by a qualified electrical contractor. You must not replace them yourself as it is illegal and risks electrocution. Smoke detector operation must be tested monthly. Clean the unit regularly by vacuuming with a soft brush and spray some insect surface spray around the unit to ensure there are no pest nests inside to interfere with the working order.
To test your smoke alarm, press the “TEST” button and hold down until you hear a loud alert sound. It is also important to test the battery condition and look for any corrosion. If you find your smoke alarm isn’t functioning properly, call Metro Electrical 24 Hour Electricians on 9472 3565. Day or night, we will immediately replace your smoke detector if it is faulty. Only a licensed electrician can disconnect or install mains powered smoke alarms.
How Many Smoke Alarms Are Needed?
Standards mandate the installation of at least one smoke alarm in every home. However, you need to carefully consider whether one is enough. The recommendation is to have multiple smoke alarms installed in your home. The placement of smoke detectors will vary depending on your floor plan. Metro Electrical 24 Hour Electricians will be happy to advise you on this matter. It’s strongly recommended to have them fitted in bedrooms or in corridors outside of bedrooms.
If you have a boarding house, guest house, hostel or holiday accommodation, you must have one smoke alarm fitted in each bedroom and near every corridor near a bedroom. If a property has multiple levels, you must have a smoke alarm in the stairwell of connected levels. Any other levels without bedrooms must have at least one per level, depending on the size of each level.
Metro Electrical 24 Hour Electricians will be happy to advise you on your legal requirements. For added safety, smoke alarms can be interconnected so that all alarms will activate if one is triggered. This is now law for any properties constructed as of 1st May 2015.
What Kind of Smoke Alarm Do I Need?
When choosing a smoke alarm, it is important to know that different models use different methods to detect smoke.
Ionisation type smoke alarms respond faster to small smoke particles, such as those given off by burning paper, straw, or wood. These are best suited to hallways, corridors and home offices.
Photoelectric smoke detectors respond faster to larger smoke particles, such as those produced by burning foam, rubber, plastics and other synthetic materials. These are best suited to bedrooms, lounge and living areas.
The best detector type for your home is usually a photoelectric detector type. For the ultimate protection, a combination of both ionisation and photoelectric is recommended. Our knowledgeable electricians at Metro Electrical 24 Hour Electricians can help with all these decisions as to what is best suited for your property.
Smoke Alarm Installation with Metro Electrical
A smoke alarm installation with Metro Electrical 24 Hour Electricians guarantees you:
- Smoke alarm with 240V AC operation with 9V DC battery backup
- Surface and flush mount units available
- Test and hush button
- Loud audible alarm output
- Meets Australian Standard AS3786
- Easy to change and maintain battery
- Photoelectric and ionisation models available
Smoke Alarm Installation: Mains and Non-Mains
Mains powered smoke alarms are to be installed in every dwelling that has mains power supply. If your property does not have mains power, then smoke alarms that have a 10-year battery life can be used instead.
It is highly illegal to install these types of smoke alarms into any property that has mains power. If your property has battery smoke alarms and it has mains power then they must be replaced. If it is a new or existing property that has undergone significant renovations or prior to the sale or rental of a property, they must have mains powered smoke detectors installed.
How Can You Prevent False Smoke Detection?
Smoke detectors are made to be sensitive, so they can sometimes trigger an alarm from heat and moisture created in your day-to-day activities. Our highly experienced electricians at Metro Electrical 24 Hour Electricians can prevent false alarms by installing your smoke detectors in the correct positions throughout your property.
To reduce false alarms, a smoke detector should not be installed:
- Above or near cooking appliances such as stoves and ovens or where you normally place your toaster or other appliances with heating elements.
- Near doorways to bathrooms, laundries, heaters or fireplaces.
- Where there is a barbecue near a window or doorway.
Please also be mindful that excessive air movement that can be caused by open windows, fans and cooling units may prevent any smoke from reaching the smoke alarm.
Our highly qualified electricians at Metro Electrical 24 Hour Electricians can install new smoke alarms and test your existing detectors to ensure they are functioning correctly and in good condition. Metro Electrical are available 24/7 in the Perth metropolitan area. All work is guaranteed and backed with a Safety Certificate of Compliance.
Call the Metro Electrical team on 9472 3565 to discuss your smoke alarm installation and requirements.