Hey! Welcome back! Today we’re going to talk about smoke detectors.
Every building has to have a smoke detector, it’s law. Well, maybe not your shed, but your house, your work, the stores, all those buildings are required to have smoke detectors. But when’s the last time you checked that your smoke detectors still work?
Thanks to our home being built in the last few years (and the unavoidable, occasional burnt meal), I’m pretty certain that the smoke alarms in our home are functional.
But what if you’re a better cook than we are? Or what if your home has been around the block for a while? Well, you should check those alarms.
Smoke alarms more than 10 years old should be replaced. Obviously, if you test them and they don’t work, you should replace them too, no matter how old they are. The new smoke alarms must be photoelectric, which react faster to smoke than other types.
When replacing them, it is wise to label the date on which they were installed.
Starting in 2022, it will be required for landlords to install interconnected photoelectric smoke alarms on their properties. With interconnected alarms, when one senses smoke and goes off, they all go off, warning everyone in the house. Starting in 2027, “all existing private homes, townhouses and units will require” these same systems. They will be required on every storey and in every bedroom. The must also being a smoke alarm in the hall connecting the bedrooms. If there is no hallway between the bedrooms or if there are no bedrooms on a storey, there must be at least one alarm where foot traffic occurs the most.
This might sound a little complicated, but it’s actually pretty simple. Check smoke alarms regularly, change if broken or over 10 years old, and work on getting an interconnected system. There’s still time before these are required in all homes, but why put your family’s safety on hold?
Info: Queensland Fire and Emergency Services: https://www.qfes.qld.gov.au/prepare/fire/smoke-alarms
https://www.qfes.qld.gov.au/prepare/fire/smoke-alarms/existing-properties
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