Interconnected smoke alarms required for every QLD home
Updates to Queensland smoke alarm legislation announced recently by the Minister for Police, Fire and Emergency Services Bill Byrne will affect every home across the state by 2027.
The new laws require every residence in Queensland to be fitted with interconnected photoelectric smoke alarms, either hardwired or wirelessly connected 10-year lithium battery smoke alarms, to provide the earliest possible warning of a potential fire. The alarms are required to be fitted in every bedroom as well as in the hallways of homes.
Advantages of installing interconnected smoke alarms
An interconnected smoke alarm system ensures that anyone in the home is instantly notified of a fire situation regardless of where they are. For example, if the smoke alarm in the kitchen detects a fire the alarm will sound throughout the house to alert all residents, even those asleep in bedrooms with the door closed.
Photoelectric style smoke alarms have been chosen as they sense smoke much earlier than other types of alarms, particularly with smoldering fires, giving residents more time to respond or evacuate in the event of an emergency.
Deadlines for compliance
The legislation has a 10-year roll out period to allow homeowners and landlords time to comply. The deadlines are as follows:
- homes built or significantly renovated and completed after January 1, 2017, must be compliant on completion
- homes sold or leased must be compliant by 2022
- all owner-occupied private homes must be compliant by 2027
- every smoke alarm replaced after January 1, 2017, must be a photoelectric alarm
The Minister encourages all residents to update to the new hard wired interconnected smoke alarm requirements as soon as possible for the safety of all homes and residents.
To provide fool proof alarm system hardwired smoke alarms are connected to your home's mains power supply and fitted with a backup battery. The benefit of this system is that it will always trigger, even in a power-out, will never run out of power and less prone to tampering.
Your hardwired interconnected smoke alarm system must be installed by a qualified, licensed electrician for the safety of your family and your home.
Upgrading your smoke alarm system
For more information on upgrading or installing hardwired smoke alarms in your north Brisbane home contact Moreton Bay Solar Air Electrical on 3883 2119 or complete our quote request form today.
