A Home Owner
A HOMEOWNER
Key points:
- Smoke alarms in leased or for-sale premises must be interconnected and photoelectric by January 1.
- Homeowners have time until January 1, 2027, to comply with the law.
- Brisbane smoke alarms must be fitted in all rooms and hallways on all storeys.
A recent tragedy has brought Queensland’s fire alarm legislation back into focus among homeowners who must comply with the strictly mandatory new rules by 2027.
The Easter long weekend ended in sorrow on Monday when six-year-old Max Chirila was killed in a house fire in Brisbane’s inner north. The Fire and Emergency Services (Domestic Smoke Alarms) Amendment Act 2016 (Qld) came into effect on January 1, 2017, imposing new requirements on property owners and managers to install and maintain smoke alarms in residential dwellings.
Existing smoke alarms built less than ten years ago and still in proper working order can be used until 2027, when they must be AS 3786-2014 compliant. However, this exemption applies only to homeowners.
Interconnected photoelectric smoke alarms must be installed in premises sold, rented, or having a lease renewed since January 1 of this year in Brisbane, Queensland. According to the Queensland Fire and Emergency Services website, smoke alarms in the home must also be less than ten years old, work when tested, and be connected with every other smoke alarm in the house so that they all activate simultaneously.
They should not include an ionization sensor. Smoke alarms must be installed on each storey, in each bedroom, in corridors connecting bedrooms to the rest of the residence, or, if no hallway exists, between the bedrooms and other parts of the storey. If there are no bedrooms on a storey, at least one smoke alarm must be placed in the most likely exit path. Smoke alarms must be hardwired or operated by a non-removable 10-year battery, or a combination may be allowed.
Where should homeowners install smoke alarms? If you want to install interconnected hardwired smoke alarms in Brisbane, hire an experienced technician or electrician. At Brisbane Smoke Alarms, we provide a variety of photoelectric smoke alarm options and can ensure that the installation is quick and done right. Smoke alarms must be installed on the ceiling. Stairs, sloped ceilings, and beam-supported ceilings will need unique requirements. Smoke alarms cannot be placed within the following:
- 300mm of a corner of a ceiling and a wall
- 300mm of a light fitting
- 400mm of an air-conditioning vent
- 400mm of the blades of a ceiling fan.