Hi, Going to install a smoke alarm on a rental property and was wondering if anyone knows which alarm is the better one to purchase. Would prefer it to have battery.
Ionising smoke alarms are cheapest ($10) and are best for detecting fast fires (paper and so forth) as they pick up combustion materials, photoelectric ($15) are better at detecting fires sooner as they sample smouldering fires ie; smoke. Both comply with the current Australian Standard for domestic installations. You can get a combination ionisation and photoelectric for around $40. You can now purchase an alarm with a 10 year battery life for und $50. If I was putting one in my home I would go a photoelectric. Regards Andrew
Thank you for the details! Learning alot from the current reno project and it inspired me so much that I subscribed to the "Handyman" magazine.
Aren't there requirements by law in some states that say you need to change the battery every year though? I thought I read something about it somewhere...
Yes, thats correct. Not sure if the Act is all uniformed but in NSW it has to be changed every year. I know that for new structure, you need to buy the smoke alarm that is connected to a back up so that even if the battery is flat or you take it out, it still works. My friend received a fine when his granny flat didn't have this.
That's Hard-wired to main elec Check state/local regs for what's required at the area the property is in. Local DEFS website should also have info. In WA we have >This< and >This<
In NSW the tenancy requirements are; At least one detector is located on each level of the tenancy. If the detector is fitted with a replaceable battery (9v) then new batteries are to be fitted and the detector tested before each tenancy commences. If the detector is fitted with a replaceable battery (9v) the tenant is responsible for cleaning, testing and replacement of the battery when required. The units must have a low battery alarm (beep) for this purpose (in SA this is the landlords responsibility) Fire & Rescue NSW recommends that; Where fitted with replaceable batteries this be done annually Detectors be replaced every 10 years Photoelectric type be used Installation outside of all sleeping areas (if three rooms come off the same hall then 1 alarm centrally located). If the detector has a lifetime battery (5 - 10 years) it is part of the unit and therefore the unit is replaced at end of life. Each state may have additional requirements. Although for most of our portfolio the cleaning, testing, and battery replacement is the tenants responsibility during their tenancy, we generally pay for a third party to undertake this task annually as part of my SANF. Regards Andrew
Since 1997 it has been a requirement of the BCA that all new buildings or existing buildings which have undergone substantial renovations are to be fitted with hard wired smoke alarms. Some states now require these to be fitted regardless of age of building or when selling.
The electrician I got to do some electrical work on the property in Brisbane I settled just on Monday strongly recommended I get the two smoke alarms changed as he told me the two existing ones would have been well over 10 years old. I have no idea how old they were but went along with his recommendation, I think it was only about $40 to replace each of them, and the 2 new units are hard wired in. So all good for the SANF.
Not sure what state the rental property is in but in WA they need to be hard wired which costs a lot more than actual smoke alarms themselves. The laws in WA changed recently where all rental properties had to be protected by RCDs and Hard wired smoke alarms. So might pay to check if you have RCDs fitted also (depends on the laws in your state)
Always use photoelectric smoke alarms guys. Tests have proven them to be much more effective in providing you the time to get out of your house. Although the 'slow smouldering fire' sounds less harmful this is the one that will probably kill you in your sleep in the middle of the night. Cheers Dan
