Smoke Alarm Installation Perth

Yes, for hard-wired alarms, you must use a licensed electrician. You can only install a smoke alarm yourself if it is a battery powered smoke alarm, keep in mind these generally don’t meet the requirements of the legislation..

Yes, it’s mandatory to have smoke alarms in all Perth homes. Legislation requires smoke alarms to be installed near every sleeping area in your home.

Smoke alarms have a lifespan of 10 years. Replace them before they expire to ensure they remain effective.

Homes must have either photoelectric or ionisation smoke alarms. Photoelectric alarms are generally recommended as they are more effective at detecting smouldering fires.

Yes, if you plan to sell, rent, or hire out your residential property in WA, legally compliant smoke alarms are required, which means you will absolutely need a hardwired smoke alarm installed. There are only a few circumstances when a battery powered smoke alarm may be permitted and they almost always require government approval.

In Western Australia, a compliant smoke alarm must meet the current Building Code of Australia’s standards (AS 3786). In short, your smoke alarm must be:

• Positioned according to the requirements of the Building Code of Australia
• Hard-wired to mains power and have a battery backup.
• Under 10 years old
• Fully functional before a property is sold, rented, or hired.
• Interconnected if you have more than one alarm and your home was newly built after 1 May 2015.

As with any electrical work dealing with mains power, installing (or disconnecting) a hard-wired smoke alarm requires a licensed electrician. While installing a battery powered smoke alarm does not require a licenced electrician, most homes in WA are legally required to have a hard-wired system installed. So, before you install a battery powered smoke alarm and call it a day, confirm that your home qualifies for an exemption from the hardwired requirement. Give us a call if you’re not sure!

Smoke alarm regulations apply to all residential properties and dwellings, regardless of whether they are owner-occupied, rented, or being transferred to a new owner. This includes all houses, apartments, units, and all other residential properties. To make it simple, the government has provided a list of property classes that the smoke alarm laws apply to, which we’ve included below.

Class 1a:

Detached houses, townhouses, duplexes, etc. (where units are separated by fire-resistant walls).

Class 1b:

Boarding houses, small guesthouses (max 12 residents, under 300m²), and short-term holiday rentals (tourist parks, farm stays, etc.).

Class 2:

Apartments and flats within multi-unit buildings.

Class 4:

Caretaker’s residences or single dwellings within non-residential buildings.

For newer homes built after May 1st, 2015, yes you will. Interconnected smoke alarms are required by law. While homes built before May 1st, 2015, are not mandated to have interconnected smoke alarms unless you plan to sell, rent or hire out the property, we recommend you install them either way. It is affordable, and the safest option available.

In Western Australia, the law requires smoke alarms to be installed:

• On each level of a residence
• In hallways which connect bedrooms and the rest of the dwelling
• If bedrooms are in separate areas of the house, multiple alarms will be needed.
• 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.

No, it is very unlikely that your home will be legally compliant if you use a battery powered smoke alarm. There are only limited exceptions such as homes built before 1 July 1997 or where hardwiring presents major difficulties, which as the owner, you’re required to demonstrate to your local government in order to get approval.

• Your home has no space to run wiring for a hardwired system.
• Your building doesn’t have a mains power connection. (Note: You must install hardwired alarms if mains power is added later.)
• You’re installing extra smoke alarms beyond those legally required.

In WA, only two smoke alarm types comply with Australian Standard AS 3786:2014 – ionization and photoelectric sensors. The difference lies in their smoke sensing technology:

• Ionization alarms detect fires by sensing disruptions in an electrical current.
• Photoelectric alarms detect fires when smoke scatters a beam of light.

We always recommend a photoelectric alarm as they are better at detecting smoke from smouldering fires, which gives you the earliest warning possibly in the case of a fire.

Yes, there are some big fines if you choose to ignore WA’s laws around smoke detectors. If caught you will be up for a $750 infringement notice, with the possibility of fines of up to $5000 for landlords and sellers. When a smoke alarm installation costs less than the fines, what is the point of taking the risk?