FAQ

The new legislation only affects class 1a buildings (e.g. houses/townhouses) and class 2 buildings (e.g. units/apartments), as well as caravans and motorhomes. It does not include short term stay dwellings such as motels, dormitories or other buildings. These other buildings are covered by the requirements of the National Construction Code (NCC).

Yes. The regulatory authority of the domestic smoke alarm legislation in Queensland is the Queensland Fire Department (QFD), under the Fire Services Act 1990 and the Building Fire Safety Regulation 2008.

However, the domestic smoke alarm legislation was introduced to provide early occupant warning to all occupants of a dwelling in the event of a fire. This early warning combined with a practised fire escape plan ensures all occupants can safely exit.

In most cases, false activations are not false. Activations can be caused from cigarette smoke, vaping, burnt toast, smoke from outside entering the window, excessive humidity or other particles passing the sensor. It is important to identify the activated alarm and inspect the room for any of these potential triggers.

Smoke Alarms operate in a similar way to house alarms. House alarms are activated when the infrared sensor detects movement inside the home. However, most house alarms activations are considered to be a false alarm, three common reasons are;

• when a window has been left open, wind can cause a curtain to move which will activate the alarm,

• spiders can crawl over the sensor which will trigger the alarm,

• or a pet can be left inside the home which can trigger the alarm.

In each of these examples, the house alarm has been triggered and this is evidence that the alarm operates as it is designed to do. The occupant is required to understand the operating instructions of the house alarm and hush the alarm accordingly.

Similarly, in most cases, Smoke Alarm false activations are not false. Activations can be caused from cigarette smoke, vaping, burnt toast, smoke from outside entering the window, excessive humidity or other particles passing the sensor and it is important all occupants are familiar with the smoke alarm operating instructions.

How to identify the triggered alarm?

It is important to identify the activated alarm and inspect the room for any of these potential triggers. The triggered alarm can be identified by the red flashing LED, and the horn will be sounding.

Open windows or evacuate the air around the smoke alarm device, this may silence the alarm.

The alarm features a False Alarm Hush that, when activated, silences unwanted alarms for up to 10 minutes.

How to activate the False Alarm Hush

To silence the alarm horn during an unwanted alarm, press and release the test button. The alarm will silence in about 10 seconds and this indicates that the smoke alarm device is in False Alarm Hush. If the smoke alarm device does not go into False Alarm Hush and continues to sound the loud alarm horn, or if it initially goes into False Alarm Hush but then resounds the alarm, the smoke is too heavy and it could be a potentially dangerous situation.

Other ‘very remote’ causes of False Alarms

If hardwired interconnected photoelectric smoke alarms are activating and there is no identifiable cause for the activation (e.g. dust), the issue could be related to the power supply. Hardwired smoke alarms must be connected to the uninterrupted household 240-volt supply.

Potential reasons for false activations originating from battery operated alarms such as maintenance i.e. dirt trapped in the alarm or age of the device.

In some regional or remote areas in Queensland, fluctuations in the power supply travelling to your house or from electrical/electronic equipment in your home may cause false activations of hardwired smoke alarms. This is also known as ‘dirty power’ and solar energy may also cause these fluctuations in power supply. To overcome this problem, a filter can be installed on the switchboard to reduce the impact of these fluctuations in power supply. This solution is the responsibility of the home owner.

Smoke alarms must not be connected to lighting circuits with dimmers as this may cause false activations.

To reduce the instances of false activations, homeowners should discuss the installation of hardwired (240v) smoke alarms with a licensed electrician who can provide advice and solutions.

Ionisation smoke alarms may not operate in time to alert you early enough to escape a smouldering fire. Smouldering fires are the major cause of fatalities in house fires.

Dwellings constructed pre 1997 may have battery operated smoke alarms. Dwellings constructed after 2014 are required to have their smoke alarms interconnected to each other.

If the smoke alarms are older than 10-years or if they fail to operate when tested they must be replaced. If they are replaced, they must be replaced with AS3786-2014 compliant photoelectric smoke alarms and powered by what is currently there i.e. hardwired replaced with hard wired and battery powered replaced with battery powered i.e. 10-year non-removable batteries. All smoke alarms that are required by legislation, when necessary, must be replaced with Australian Standard 3786–2014 compliant smoke alarms.

From 1 January 2022 for dwellings being leased, re-leased or sold.

From 1 July 2024 for all caravans or motorhomes whose registration is commencing or being transferred.

From 1 January 2027 for all other dwellings and registered caravans and motorhomes. The smoke alarms installed after these dates will be required to be powered by either hard-wired 240-volt or 10-year non-removable 10-year battery and be interconnected by either wired or wirelessly to all other required smoke alarms in the dwelling. All smoke alarms that are required by legislation must be AS3786–2014 compliant smoke alarms.

From 1 January 2022 for dwellings being leased, released or sold.

From 1 July 2024 for all caravans or motorhomes whose registration is commencing or being transferred.

From 1 January 2027 for all other dwellings and registered caravans and motorhomes. Smoke alarms must be installed on each storey:

• in each bedroom; and

• in hallways which connect bedrooms and the rest of the dwelling; or

• if there is no hallway, between the bedrooms and other parts of the storey; and

• if there are no bedrooms on a storey at least one smoke alarm must be installed in the most likely path of travel to exit the dwelling.

For caravans and motorhomes, a smoke alarm can be placed anywhere on the ceiling. QFD recommends placing it near where the bed is. If you sleep in the annex you can also place one there.

While the centre of the room is the preferred location for smoke alarms, this is not a requirement. On the ceiling and they must be 300mm from corners or lights and 400mm from anything that may blow air such as an air conditioner or the edge of the blade of a ceiling fan. There are special requirements for sloping ceilings and ceilings with exposed beams.

All new constructions and major renovations require hardwired 240-volt smoke alarms.

An existing dwelling with 240-volt smoke alarms must replace them when required with 240-volt photoelectric type smoke alarms.

An existing dwelling with battery operated smoke alarms may replace them when required with battery operated photoelectric type smoke alarms that meet the Australian Standard 3786–2014.

From 1 January 2022 for dwellings being leased/released or sold, or 1 January 2027 for all other dwellings, all battery-operated smoke alarms must be 10-year non-removable battery smoke alarms.

This means that if one smoke alarm detects smoke, they all sound. Interconnected smoke alarms are connected to other smoke alarms in the dwelling either directly or wirelessly.

Smoke alarms can be interconnected in any way that allows all smoke alarms to sound when one is in alarm (i.e. when one activates, they all sound). This can be done by physically wiring together or using wireless technology (or a combination of both). Wireless technology is available for both 240-volt and battery-operated smoke alarms.

240-volt smoke alarms connect to the electricity supply and must be connected by a licensed electrician.

The landlord is responsible for the installation of smoke alarms that comply with legislation.

Within 30 days before the start of a tenancy in a domestic dwelling, the lessor/landlord must test each smoke alarm in the dwelling in compliance with Fire Services Act 1990 - section 104RAA(3).

During a tenancy in a domestic dwelling, the tenant must test each smoke alarm in the dwelling, in compliance with Fire and Emergency Services Act - section 104RAA(3), at least every 12 months.

QFD interprets that a tenancy means a right to occupy residential premises given under a residential tenancy agreement to which the Residential Tenancies and Rooming Accommodation Act 2008 applies.

Therefore, when there is a renewal or extension of an existing tenancy, the obligation is on the lessor/landlord, because each renewal or extension creates a new right for the tenant to occupy the residential dwelling.

Test is defined in the Fire Services Act 1990 - 104RAA - it is defined as pressing the “test” button or as stated in the manufacturer’s instructions.

Clean is also defined by the Fire Services Act 1990 - 104RG - and that is “in the way stated in the manufacturer’s instructions”, it provides the example of vacuuming the smoke alarm to clear it of any debris that may have the potential to cause nuisance activations or affect the performance of the smoke alarm.

No - there is no legal requirement for any qualification or certification to test or clean a domestic smoke alarm.

Some real estate agents may outsource smoke alarm maintenance to another company with associated fees paid by the landlord. The real estate may request a “certificate of compliance” from these companies as proof of service. This is not a legal requirement but may be part of the real estate agent's internal process.

All smoke alarms that are required to be installed or replaced by the legislation must be a photoelectric type smoke alarm that complies with Australian Standard 3786–2014.

Australian Standard 3786–2014 requires the smoke alarm to have “AS3786–2014” on it.

The new domestic smoke alarm legislation only applies to domestic dwellings (e.g. houses, townhouses, apartments, units, caravans, motorhomes). It does not apply to motel buildings.

No. Mixing different smoke alarm brands is not recommended. Smoke Alarms need to be compatible with one another, they need to be interconnected via their own specific radio frequency (RF). Also, Smoke Alarms cannot be older than ten years as per the markings on the rear of each Smoke Alarm and it is prudent to have them all changed, at the same time, with compatible Smoke Alarms.