Smoke alarms in South Australia. What you need to know.
Keeping Your Home or Investment Property Safe.
If you own a home or residential investment property in South Australia, staying informed about smoke alarms is essential.
Not only is it about keeping your property and its occupants safe, but it's also about complying with state laws that are pretty strict on the matter.
Let's break down what you need to know about installing and maintaining smoke alarms in your home or investment property, ensuring you’re both safe and legally covered.
Why Smoke Alarms Are Non-Negotiable in South Australian Properties
Put simply, smoke alarms save lives.
Their importance cannot be overstated, providing the early warning needed for occupants to escape from a house fire.
Smoke from fire can severely impair your ability to see and breathe. The irritants in smoke can obscure your vision, cause disorientation and lead to panic, making it hard to find a way out when confronted with an emergency.
Plus, it's sobering to know that most fire-related deaths are not directly caused by burns or exposure to flames; instead, they result from the inhalation of toxic gases released by fires that have gone undetected.
But having smoke alarms properly installed throughout your home means occupants get an early warning, and have a much better chance of getting out uninjured.
That’s why, in South Australia, the law is clear: every residential property must have working smoke alarms installed, and homeowners and residential landlords are responsible for making sure they are working and installed correctly.
These regulations vary depending on when your property was built or purchased, and each have varying requirements - ranging from battery-powered alarms to hard-wired, interconnected systems.
It’s also worth noting that fines of up to $750 can apply if alarms are not installed, and if they’re not properly fitted or maintained, your home may not be covered by your insurance provider if your house is damaged by fire.
So here’s a quick rundown of what your property will need, whether a homeowner or landlord:
- Properties bought before 1 February 1998: You need at least replaceable battery-powered smoke alarms fitted.
- Properties bought after 1 February 1998: The law gives you six months from the property title transfer date to install either 240 volt hard-wired smoke alarms, or alarms with a 10-year life that are non-replaceable, non-removable and have permanently connected batteries.
- Properties built after 1 January 1995: These must have 240-volt, mains-powered smoke alarms from the start.
- New homes, additions or extensions: There's a requirement for smoke alarms to be interconnected, so when one goes off, they all do, increasing the chances of everyone hearing the alarm no matter where they are in the house.
In rented home, it is the landlord that assumes the responsibility for the installation and upkeep of working smoke alarms. And if the property is managed by a Property Management agency, this maintenance should form part of the management agreement with your property manager.
Where to Install Smoke Alarms
In addition to knowing your obligations with regards to property age, it’s also important to follow practical installation practices in your home or investment property.
That’s because placement is key to effective smoke alarm performance.
Essentially, alarms need to be fitted in areas of the home where occupants will be able to hear them clearly if they are asleep. This means that more than one is often required, depending on the size and floorplan of the home.
A good rule of thumb is to install smoke alarms in passages leading to bedrooms, and at least one or two on each floor of your home.
This spread helps ensure the alarm sounds reach everyone, and buys occupants some crucial extra time if an evacuation is necessary.
Types of Smoke Alarms
When it comes to the type of smoke alarm you install, you do have options.
Here are the two most common models to consider:
- Ionisation Smoke Alarms
Quick to detect fast fires that produce little smoke, ionisation alarms are most effective for flaming fires, but are known for their sensitivity to cooking fumes and steam that lead to false alarms, making them unsuitable for areas in your home that contain cooking, combustion heating appliances or open fires.
- Photo-Electric Smoke Alarms
Photo-electric alarms, on the other hand, are more responsive to smouldering fires that burn slowly and produce more smoke - think of a cigarette igniting furniture upholstery.
Far less likely to cause false alarms from cooking smoke or steam from the bathroom, photo-electric alarms are a preferred choice for installation near kitchens, bathrooms and areas containing combustion heaters or open fires.
So what’s best-practice?
The South Australian Metropolitan Fire Service (MFS) recommend that homes should be equipped with photo-electric smoke alarms, due to their broader and more sensitive protection - including smouldering fires that can burn undetected for hours before flaming.
And for homes that currently have ionisation alarms? The advice is to supplement them with photo-electric alarms, ensuring that your property is well covered for any fire scenario.
Proper Smoke Alarm Installation and Maintenance
Fitting the right types - and number - of smoke alarms is just the start, but to ensure they work when you need them most, maintaining them is equally as crucial.
Here are three tips, as recommended by the MFS, to make sure you’re covered at all times:
- Test your smoke alarms monthly, by pressing the button to make sure they beep.
- Change the batteries once a year, or if they start making a low-battery beeping sound. Pick a date that is going to be memorable for you. Many people coincide it with daylight savings, or a significant seasonal date like March the 1st.
- And every 10 years (or as recommended by the manufacturer) it's best practice to replace your smoke alarms with new ones.
Remember, making sure your smoke alarms are well maintained and in good working order is not just about ticking a legal box; it’s about ensuring that, in an emergency, your they perform their vital, life-saving function.
Smoke alarms are a critical safety feature in every South Australian home, mandated by law to protect lives.
By understanding and following the legal requirements for your property, ensuring proper installation and maintenance and choosing the right type of alarm, you’re not just complying with the law and avoiding a fine; you’re making a vital investment in the safety and wellbeing of your family or tenants.
Remember, a little attention to your smoke alarms now can make a big difference when it matters most.
Want to know more? Here are some great resources:
· https://www.sa.gov.au/topics/housing/owning-a-property/keeping-your-property-safe/smoke-alarms
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DISCLAIMER: All recommendations made by We Connect Property are general in nature and not to be relied upon as legal or financial advice. To ensure accuracy, we always strongly recommend seeking independent, professional advice tailored to your specific situation before making any investment or financial decisions.