SMOKE ALARM FAQs

General Questions, Troubleshooting Help & Instructions

 

SMOKE ALARM LEGISLATION – AS OF JANUARY 2017

The details below is intended to inform consumers and installers of the latest legislation regarding smoke alarms in Australia. Should there be any changes to the legislation, PSA will endeavour to keep the information here as current as possible. If any changes in smoke alarm laws occur, it is often formally announced and given sufficient time to be mandated. Subscribe to our mailing list at the bottom of the page to be kept informed.

In all states across Australia, smoke alarms complying with Australian Standards AS3786 must be fitted in all residential and rental properties and in accordance with the Building Code of Australia. Please see below for individual State requirements.

 

 

AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY

All homes built since 1994 are required to have mains powered smoke alarms installed.

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NEW SOUTH WALES

At least one working smoke alarm installed on each level of a home. This includes owner occupied, rental properties, relocatable homes, caravans or any other residential building where people sleep. This has been the law since 1 May 2006 and can include hard-wired or battery powered smoke alarms.

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NORTHERN TERRITORY

As of 1 November 2011, all residential properties must have a working smoke alarm. If you are a home owner and already have a working ionisation smoke alarm installed, you do not have to change to a photoelectric smoke alarm until one of the following occurs:

  • Your smoke alarm ceases to work – you’ll need to replace it with either a hardwired 240 volt photoelectric smoke alarm with a 9 volt battery back up OR a photoelectric smoke alarm with a sealed 10 year lithium battery
  • you sell your home;
  • you rent out your premises or renew a tenancy; or
  • you hire out your caravan or movable dwelling
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QUEENSLAND

From January 1, 2017 every Queensland residence will need to be fitted with photoelectric, interconnected smoke alarms in all bedrooms, as well as hallways of residences.

Any smoke alarm being replaced after January 1, 2017 must be a photoelectric smoke alarm.

All houses being built or significantly renovated will need to comply with the smoke alarm legislation upon completion after January 1, 2017.

All houses leased or sold will need to meet compliance after five years and all owner-occupied private dwellings will need to comply with the legislation within 10 years.

These smoke alarms must be:

  • 240V mains powered interconnected photoelectric smoke alarms
  • Photoelectric smoke alarms that are powered by a sealed 10-year lithium battery and have the capability to wirelessly interconnect between each alarm
  • Approved to AS3786:2014

Smoke Alarms installed in Queensland after 1st January 2017 must be AS3786:2014 compliant with some exceptions; Building approvals issued before 1 Jan 2017 and in non-regulatory installation can continue to use AS3786:1993 compliant products.

Rental Properties:

From 1 January 2022, landlords must install interconnected smoke alarms in residential rental properties.

All other dwellings must transition to full compliance by 2027.

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SOUTH AUSTRALIA

Homes or residential rental properties purchased before 1 February 1998 are required to fit a replaceable battery powered smoke alarm.

Homes or residential rental properties purchased on or after 1 February 1998 requires a smoke alarm (or smoke alarms) to be fitted within six months from the day on which the title is transferred and be either:

  • 240 volt, mains powered smoke alarm
  • a 10 year life, non-replaceable, non-removable, permanently connected battery powered smoke alarm.

Homes or residential rental properties built on or after 1 January 1995, the Building Code of Australia requires a 240 volt mains powered smoke alarm.

Interconnection Of Alarms

From 1 May 2014, smoke alarms have been required to be interconnected in all new class 1 dwellings, within sole-occupancy units of class 2 and 3 buildings and in class 4 parts of buildings. (Class 4 is a single dwelling in an office building, retail building, storage building, manufacturing building or public building.)

In existing buildings (i.e. those approved before 1 May 2014) any extension or addition (approved from 1 May 2014) which requires more than one smoke alarm must have those alarms interconnected however there is not a requirement to interconnect to alarms in the existing building.

Smoke alarms in subsequent extensions will be required to interconnect to any alarms in extensions approved after 1 May 2014.

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TASMANIA

From 1 May 2013, all Tasmanian residential rental properties must be fitted with smoke alarms.
From 1 May 2013 until 30 April 2016, smoke alarms can be battery (by either 9-volt removable battery or a 10 year non-removable battery) powered, or mains powered, provided it complies with AS3786-1993.
From 1 May 2016, smoke alarms will be required to be either mains powered or 10 year non-removable battery powered alarms.

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VICTORIA

All homes constructed after 1 August 1997 must have mains powered smoke alarms.
Homes before 1 August 1997 must have a battery operated smoke alarm.
From 1 May 2014, building regulations require all homes, apartments and residential buildings have interconnected smoke alarms.

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WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Since 1997, mains power smoke alarms must be installed in new properties and any existing properties that have undergone significant renovations.

From 1 October 2009, mains powered smoke alarms must be fitted in all existing residential buildings prior to sale and when a new tenancy agreement is signed for rental properties. If there are no tenancy changes in rental properties, then mains powered smoke alarms must be fitted by 1 October 2011.

New dwellings approved for constructions on and from 1 May 2015 will require interconnection of smoke alarms.

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What to do in the event of an alarm

Step 1.
Check for Fire

If there’s a fire present, evacuate the residence immediately and call 000 from safety.
If there is no fire, proceed to Step 2.

Step 2.
Find initiating smoke alarm with flashing RED light

Identify the initiating smoke alarm by locating the unit with the flashing RED light.
For interconnected smoke alarms, finding the initiating unit is the key to silencing all other smoke alarms in the property.

Step 3.
Press HUSH button on initiating alarm to silence ALL smoke alarms

Press and hold the HUSH button for 3 seconds on the initiating smoke alarm with the flashing RED light.
Pressing HUSH on the initiating alarm will silence all other interconnected units, so you can then find what caused the alarm.

Next steps

Hush mode will silence the smoke alarms for a period of 9 minutes. If the alarm’s sensor is still detecting particles after the Hush period ends, the alarms will initiate again. You can keep using the Hush function until contaminants have cleared the air.
Dense smoke will always override Hush mode, so you can still be alerted to an emergency, even during Hush mode.

Need more help?
For more information about your specific alarm, refer to your user manual.
Our Technical Support Team is available to assist you between 8:00am – 5:00pm (AEST) Monday to Friday.
Send us an email or call 1300 772 776.

The chirping or beeping sound is a usually a low-battery warning.

It’s a sound many homeowners have heard – a smoke alarm chirping in the middle of the night.
Why does it happen? Well, it’s a simple matter of the battery’s charge level combined with the air temperature in the home.

When a smoke alarm’s battery nears the end of its life, the amount of power it produces causes an internal resistance. A drop in room temperature increases this resistance, which can impact the battery’s ability to deliver the necessary power to the smoke alarm.

This battery characteristic can cause a smoke alarm to enter the ‘low battery chirp mode’ when air temperatures drop. Most homes are at their coolest between the hours of 2:00am-6:00am. That’s why the alarm may sound a ‘low-battery chirp’ in the middle of the night, and then stop when the home warms up a few degrees.

‘Low battery chirp’ is a short high pitched warning sounds emitted by your smoke alarm every 30-40 seconds. Pressing the ‘Hush’ button will force the alarm into ‘low battery hush’ mode, temporarily silencing the low battery warning for 8 hours, to give you time to replace the 9V battery.

How can I reduce the chance of this happening?

  • For alarms with 9V batteries, replace the batteries with new 9V alkaline batteries from a reputable battery brand. 9V batteries should be replaced every 12 months regardless, and ensure that batteries are inserted the correct way with firm contact on the battery terminals.
  • Check the age of your smoke alarms by looking at the date of manufacture sticker on the back of each alarm. Regardless of make or model, all smoke alarms (battery or hardwired) have a service life of 10 years and will then need to be replaced. If your smoke alarms are nearing 10 years or older, or you can’t find their manufacture date, you should replace them.

Need more help?
For more information about your specific alarm, refer to your user manual.
Our Technical Support Team is available to assist you between 8:00am – 5:00pm (AEST) Monday to Friday.
Send us an email or call 1300 772 776.

False alarms are most commonly caused by something interfering with the sensor. Proper maintenance of your smoke alarms will also reduce the likelihood of any false alarms.

Insects & Dust

Insects and dust are common cause of false alarms.  Make sure the smoke alarm is regularly maintained.  Regularly clean and vacuum to remove any loose dust and foreign particles within the smoke alarm. Insects may be inside or around the alarm. If so, fumigate the base plate area and thoroughly clean the alarm giving it a wipe and vacuum. Wipe the smoke alarm with insect repellent wipes, do not use insect spray.

Tip – Regularly clean & vacuum your smoke alarm to remove any dust that may be inside the unit. Fumigate the base plate area using insect repellent wipes to deter insects (do not spray directly at alarm)

High Humidity & Dew Point

False alarms can occur if water vapor molecules develop inside the sensor chamber due to direct environmental conditions. The moisture generated from high humidity and dew point can cause smoke alarms to react the same way as it does to smoke. Once humidity reaches 85% or dew point occurs, false alarms could frequently happen and weak batteries can also increase the chance of false alarms.

More information on dew point can be found here.

Tip – In high humidity, use a hair dryer to blow warm air through the smoke alarm to assist with drying out any moisture build up.

Cooking Fumes

Cooking fumes can cause the smoke alarm to activate especially when the smoke alarm is located too close to the kitchen.  It is recommended to locate smoke alarms at least 5m away from the kitchen always utilise your range hood / extraction fan when cooking. Compared to Ionisation alarms, Photoelectric smoke alarms are less prone to initiating caused by cooking fumes, however it is widely recommended to install a smoke alarm well away from Kitchen areas.

Tip – Always utilise your range hood / extraction fan when cooking. Smoke alarms should be installed at least 5 meters away from the kitchen area. If your smoke alarm is activated by cooking fumes, simply press the Hush button to temporarily silence your alarms (for a period of 8 minutes) until the fumes have cleared.

Steam

Steam from bathrooms and laundry can cause false alarm. Smoke alarms located inside or in front of bathrooms, showers and laundry can activate when steam enters the smoke alarm.

Tip – Always utilise your bathroom extraction fan while showering to help clear and reduce the amount of steam. Smoke alarms should not be installed within or directly outside bathrooms and laundries.

High Volume Air Movement

High air movement can cause the smoke alarm to false alarm as dust and other foreign particles are blown directly towards the smoke alarm, triggering the sensor chamber to react the same way as it does to smoke. If a smoke alarm is installed too close to an air movement source, it will need to be re-located.

Tip – Ensure smoke alarms are not installed too close to split-systems, ceiling fans or air vents.

Electrical Issues

Electrical issues can cause smoke alarms to activate.  Unstable power or power interruptions can cause electrical spikes in the circuit, this may cause the smoke alarm to beep or alarm for a short period of time. Smoke alarms are commonly installed on a lighting circuit shared with other electrical products. These products can create electrical noise or interference which can activate the smoke alarm. This electrical noise and electro-magnetic interference may cause the smoke alarm to beep or alarm when the electrical products are activated. Products such as sweeping fans, lighting dimmers, poor quality LED lights, and heat lamps are examples.

Tip – Installing an EMI filter will help to filter out electrical interference. We recommend that smoke alarms be installed on their own sub-circuit to avoid false alarm caused by electrical interferences from other electrical equipment.

Need more help?
Our Technical Support Team is available to assist you between 8:00am – 5:00pm (AEST) Monday to Friday.
Send us an email or call 1300 772 776.

To ensure efficient and effective protection for your home, it’s important that the battery is checked regularly and smoke alarm is kept clean from contaminants.

Every Month

Test your smoke alarm using the test/hush button and check the batteries with mains power switched off. Clean the alarm by removing dust and insects.

Every 3 Months

Vacuum each smoke alarm thoroughly using the crevice tool attachment to clear any loose contaminates from inside the unit.

Spray insect repellent on a cloth and wipe the ceiling around the smoke alarm. Never spray insect repellent directly at a smoke alarm as that will trigger an alarm.

Once you’ve completed each clean, be sure to re-test the smoke alarm to ensure it is operational.

Every Year

Smoke alarms operating on 9v batteries or with 9v battery backups, should have their batteries replaced every year. Always replace with new 9v batteries from a reputable battery brand to ensure that the unit can function correctly. Only working smoke alarms save lives.

Tip – Set an annual reminder in your phone’s calendar to replace your smoke alarm batteries or use a common date that’s is easy to remember (eg. birthdays, end or start of daylight savings)

Every 10 Years

All smoke alarms have a 10 year service life. After that period, the entire smoke alarm unit must be replaced with a new one.

All of our smoke alarms have a date of manufacture printed on them so you’ll know when they should be replaced. New model smoke alarms with a long lasting lithium battery have a 10 year lifespan to ensure you and your family have the highest level of protection.


Need more help?
For more information about your specific alarm, refer to your user manual.
Our Technical Support Team is available to assist you between 8:00am – 5:00pm (AEST) Monday to Friday.
Send us an email or call 1300 772 776.

How to remove a smoke alarm from the mounting base

IMPORTANT:
If the tamper resistant feature has been activated on the unit, it must be disengaged before removing the alarm.

Smoke Alarms should only ever be removed for the purpose of cleaning, replacing the battery or to find its manufacture date.

Most smoke alarms come with an optional tamper resistant feature, such as a tamper screw or a locking tab mechanism, in order to protect against unwanted removal of the alarm.

QUICK SLIDE
Lifesaver 5800, 5800/2, 5800RL, 5800RL/2 & HomeGuard HG3000

Remove the tamper screw using a phillips-head screwdriver, then carefully slide the smoke alarm in the direction of SLIDE arrow until it separates from base plate.

TWIST OFF
Lifesaver 10YPEW

To remove the 10YPEW smoke alarm from its mounting bracket, rotate the alarm in the direction of the OFF arrow on the cover of the unit.

IMPORTANT:
LIF10YPEW model smoke alarms cannot be hushed if removed from the baseplate. The smoke alarm needs to be secured on the baseplate for the hush/silence feature to operate.

Need more help?

For more information about your specific alarm, refer to your user manual.
Our Technical Support Team is available to assist you between 8:00am – 5:00pm (AEST) Monday to Friday.
Send us an email or call 1300 772 776.

Replacing the 9v battery in your smoke alarm

IMPORTANT: 
Only use 9v batteries from a reputable battery brand.
Battery replacement is not relevant if you have a 10-year lithium battery smoke alarm.
  • To replace battery, remove alarm from mounting base (referrer to ‘How do I remove a smoke alarm from its base? question) and remove the battery from compartment. Replace the old 9v battery with a new 9v battery from a reputable battery brand.
  • The smoke alarm has a low battery hush feature. When the smoke alarm emits a low battery chirp, pressing the Hush button will silence or snooze the low battery chirp for 8 hours.
  • The battery can only be inserted in one direction, please ensure the polarity is correct.
  • Test the alarm by pressing the Test Button for a few seconds. This should sound the alarm. The smoke alarm can now be reinstalled back onto the mounting base.


More information

  • Mains powered smoke alarms that are equipped with a 9v battery backup will automatically provide back-up power to the alarm if mains power fails. In the case of mains power failing, a 9v backup battery will operate the alarm for approximately one to three months.
  • The smoke alarm has a low battery indicator that will cause the unit to chirp at approximately 40 second intervals for a minimum of 30 days. Low, flat or missing battery with mains power connected will cause the unit to chirp at approximately 40 second intervals.


Need more help?
For more information about your specific alarm, refer to your user manual.
Our Technical Support Team is available to assist you between 8:00am – 5:00pm (AEST) Monday to Friday.
Send us an email or call 1300 772 776.

Smoke alarms need to be replaced at least every 10 years.

Regardless of the make or model, all smoke alarms need to be replaced at least every 10 years. Most smoke alarms have a use-by date or manufacture date printed on them so you’ll know when they should be replaced. New smoke alarms with a long lasting lithium battery have a 10 year lifespan to ensure you and your family have the highest level of protection.

  • Both hard-wired and battery operated smoke alarms are manufactured to have a recommended service life of at least 10 years under normal conditions of use (Australian Standards – AS 3786).
  • After 10 years smoke alarms may malfunction and their efficiency compromised with accumulated dust, insects, airborne contaminants and corrosion of electrical circuitry.
  • A smoke alarm constantly monitors the air 24 hours a day. At the end of 10 years, it has gone through millions of monitoring cycles. After this much use, components may become less reliable. This means that as the smoke alarm gets older, the potential of failing to detect a fire increases.


Need more help?
Our Technical Support Team is available to assist you between 8:00am – 5:00pm (AEST) Monday to Friday.
Send us an email or call 1300 772 776.

How to test a smoke alarm.

IMPORTANT: 
Do not ignite combustible materials to test your alarm. An accident could occur, resulting in a fire.

Using the test button on your smoke alarm will ensure an accurate and complete test of your alarm(s) so you can feel confident that they are working properly.

  • To test a smoke alarm, simple press and hold the Test/Hush button on the unit for 3 seconds. This will check the smoke alarm’s electronics and sounder. If the smoke alarm is operating correctly, you will hear the alarm sound for a brief moment. If you can’t physically reach your smoke alarms, an easy solution is to use something like a broom handle instead.
  • When testing interconnected smoke alarms, make sure to verify all the smoke alarms in the network go off.
  • Aerosol products, such as our Smoke Alarm Tester LIFLT711, can also be used to effectively test the integrity of smoke alarms by simulating smoke conditions. If using an aerosol smoke alarm testing product, from a distance of 1-2 metres, spray the can towards the smoke alarm for 2 seconds. The alarm should activate within 10 secs if operating properly. Smoke alarms with built in time delay circuits may require an additional spray to trigger the alarm. Excessive spraying at close range may permanently affect the smoke alarm’s sensitivity.


Need more help?
Our Technical Support Team is available to assist you between 8:00am – 5:00pm (AEST) Monday to Friday.
Send us an email or call 1300 772 776.

Mounting smoke alarms

IMPORTANT:
The performance of smoke alarms mounted on walls is unpredictable and this mounting position is not recommended when ceiling mounting can be implemented.
Incorrect orientation of smoke alarms may decrease operational effectiveness.

Smoke, heat and other combustion products rise to the ceiling and spread horizontally. Mounting the smoke alarm on the ceiling, in the center of the room, places it closest to all points in the room. Ceiling mounting is always best, and take care to avoid dead air spaces when mounting. Dead air spaces generally occur at the peak or apex of cathedral ceilings and the corner junction of walls and ceilings.

CEILING/ WALL JUNCTION

When mounting smoke alarms on the ceiling, locate it at least 300mm away from the side wall and 300mm away from any corner to avoid dead air space.

If ceiling mounting is not possible, the recommended position for wall mounting is between 300mm and 500mm off the ceiling.

CATHEDRAL CEILING / A-FRAME CEILING

When mounting smoke alarms on Cathedral / A-frame ceilings, position the alarm at least 500mm away from the peak of the ceiling, but no further than 1500mm away from peak.


Need more help?
Our Technical Support Team is available to assist you between 8:00am – 5:00pm (AEST) Monday to Friday.
Send us an email or call 1300 772 776.

If installing the smoke alarm for the first time, please ensure the yellow battery installation tag has been removed. PSA smoke alarms will emit an audible chirp at regular intervals to indicate that the 9 volt back-up battery is low in charge and needs to replaced.
The procedure on how to replace the 9 volt battery differs slightly depending on the smoke alarm model. Please use the information below as a guide and refer to your smoke alarm’s Installation and User Manual for the correct procedure.

Smoke Alarms which are model LIF5800RL, LIF5800RF, LIF10YI and LIF10YPE, LIF10YPEW, LIFPE10 the batteries cannot be replaced. Contact PSA technical team for information if you have the aforementioned models and are experiencing chirping. Should your smoke alarm be close to 10 years old, it is most likely at its expiry and due for replacement.

Have you pressed the Hush feature? Pressing the hush button on the smoke alarm will cause the smoke alarm to beep or chirp for 10-15 minutes. The Hush feature is designed to desensitize the smoke alarm from false alarms, with the chirping indicating hush mode is active. Hush mode will automatically reset once the 10-15 minute chirping cycle is over. Pressing the hush button before this cycle if over will restart another 10-15 minute cycle of chirping.