Smoke alarm requirements in Queensland changed substantially, and a lot of homeowners still have the single alarm in the hallway that was compliant when the house was built. It is not compliant now.
This is a plain English summary of what the legislation asks for. It is general information rather than legal advice, so check your obligations for your specific property, and talk to us if you want the work done and documented.
What the law requires
Queensland requires photoelectric smoke alarms that are interconnected, meaning when one alarm detects smoke, every alarm in the house sounds. They must be installed in every bedroom, in hallways connecting bedrooms to the rest of the home, and on every storey.
- Photoelectric type, complying with Australian Standard 3786:2014
- Interconnected, so all alarms sound together
- Hardwired to mains power, or powered by a non removable 10 year battery
- In every bedroom
- In hallways connecting bedrooms with the rest of the dwelling
- On every storey, even where there are no bedrooms on that level
- Not containing an ionisation sensor
Who it applies to, and when
Selling or leasing
Compliant alarms have been required in properties being sold, leased or where a lease is renewed. If you are preparing a property for sale or handing it to a property manager, this is the point where it must be addressed.
All other homes
The requirement extends to all domestic dwellings. In practical terms, every Queensland home is expected to have interconnected photoelectric alarms, regardless of whether it is being sold or rented.
Landlords
Owners of rental properties carry the obligation to install compliant alarms and to test and clean each alarm within 30 days before the start of each tenancy. We handle this for property managers across the Sunshine Coast and Brisbane, with documentation supplied per property.
Why photoelectric, and why interconnected
Photoelectric alarms respond faster to smouldering fires, which is the type most likely to start in a house at night from wiring, furnishings or a charger left on a bed. Ionisation alarms are better at flaming fires but are prone to nuisance alarms from cooking, which is why people disable them.
Interconnection is the part that saves lives. A fire that starts in the lounge room needs to wake the person asleep at the far end of the house, and a single alarm in the hallway will not reliably do that with the bedroom door closed.
Closed bedroom doors slow fire down, which is good, but they also block sound. That is exactly why every bedroom needs its own interconnected alarm.
Hardwired or 10 year battery?
Both are compliant. Hardwired alarms with a battery backup are the better long term option, particularly where ceiling access is available or during a renovation, and they interconnect by wire rather than radio. Sealed 10 year battery alarms with wireless interconnection are a practical choice in existing homes where running cable would mean opening ceilings.
What we do
We supply and install compliant alarms, interconnect them, test the whole system, and provide documentation. If you have existing alarms, check the date stamp on the unit. Smoke alarms expire ten years from manufacture regardless of whether the battery is fine, and an expired alarm is not compliant.
See our smoke alarm installation service for what is included, or read about safety switches, the other compliance item most older homes are missing.
Need your alarms brought up to standard?
We install and interconnect compliant photoelectric alarms across the Sunshine Coast and Brisbane, including multi property rental portfolios with documentation for your property manager.
Written by Scott Gross, licensed electrician and founder of PMU Electrical, servicing the Sunshine Coast and Brisbane. Licence 146529.