New builds or renovations

Dwellings
- houses, townhouses (Class 1A) and units (Class 2).

Photoelectric
- the method the device uses to detect smoke.

Hardwired
- connected to the domestic dwelling’s electricity supply.

Interconnected
- if one smoke alarm sounds all the other smoke alarms will also sound. Interconnection can be wired or wireless. This will alert the occupants within a house to a fire no matter where the fire starts.

Substantial
- work carried out under a building development approval or the total building works equals 50 per cent of the dwelling over three years.

Storey
- a space within a building which is situated between one floor level and the floor level or roof above.

New dwellings and dwellings being substantially renovated

From 1 January 2017

All new homes or units and substantially renovated homes or units that are subject to a building application submitted from 1 January 2017, will require the installation of hardwired, photoelectric interconnected smoke alarms.
Smoke alarms in the dwelling must:
- be photoelectric (AS3786-2014); and
- not also contain an ionisation sensor; and
- be hardwired to the mains power supply with a secondary power source (i.e. battery); and
- be interconnected with every other smoke alarm in the dwelling so all activate together.
The legislation requires smoke alarms must be installed in the following locations:
- on each storey
- in each bedroom
- in hallways that connect bedrooms and the rest of the dwelling
- if there is no hallway, between the bedroom 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.
Smoke alarms must be hardwired, or for existing dwellings, they can also be powered by a non-removable 10-year battery.
To get everyone out safely during a house fire, it is essential to also have a well-practised fire escape plan.

About photoelectric alarms

Photoelectric alarms, also known as optical or photo-optical, detect visible particles of combustion and respond to a wide range of fires.

Find out more

What’s required by law?

When it is time for your property's alarms to be upgraded, those alarms must:

be photoelectric and comply with Australian Standard 3786-2014
not also contain an ionisation sensor; and
be less than 10 years old; and
operate when tested; and
be interconnected with every other ‘required’ smoke alarm in the dwelling so all activate together.

Any existing smoke alarm being replaced from 1 January 2017 must be a photoelectric-type alarm which complies with Australian Standard 3786-2014.

If a smoke alarm which is hardwired to the domestic power supply needs replacement, it must be replaced with a hardwired photoelectric smoke alarm.

In existing domestic dwellings, it is possible to have a combination of smoke alarms (240v and battery operated) and interconnectivity can be both wired and wireless.

What to buy?

Smoke alarms must comply with the Standard AS 3786-2014 and should have the following labels.

What to avoid?

Smoke alarms with this symbol are not photoelectric.

Exactly where should I place them

Where practicable smoke alarms must be placed on the ceiling.

Smoke alarms must not be placed within:

300mm of a corner of a ceiling and a wall
300mm of a light fitting
400mm of an air-conditioning vent
400mm of the blades of a ceiling fan.

There are special requirements for stairways, sloping ceilings, and ceilings with exposed beams.

Every dwelling is different so you will need to assess yours. Avoid installation in the following positions:

in dead air space. This is an area in which trapped hot air will prevent smoke from reaching the alarm. This space generally occurs at the apex of cathedral ceilings, the corner junction of walls and ceilings, and between exposed floor joists.
near windows, doors, fans or air-conditioners. Excessive air movement may prevent smoke and gases from reaching the smoke alarm or cause nuisance alarms.

Accidental alarms can be a nuisance and become dangerous if home owners remove the alarm batteries or disable an interconnected system to silence the alarm.

Nuisance alarms can be avoided by not placing alarms in or near kitchens where cooking smoke can set them off, or in or near bathrooms where steam often causes accidental alarms.

Also avoid insect infested areas, as insects flying into the alarm can trigger an alarm.

You may have as little as 15 seconds to escape.

Most fatal fires are preventable. Take precautions to protect yourself, your family,
and your home by creating a fire escape plan.
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Smoke Alarms