Smoke Alarms

As daylight savings is fast approaching, it’s time to change those batteries in 9v battery-powered smoke alarms.

Here is a helpful fact sheet on Smoke Alarms

• Early warning of a fire in your home gives occupants the best chance to escape. When you are asleep you lose your sense of smell, that is why it is so important that you have a working smoke alarm to alert you of the presence of smoke.
• In Australia, it is a law that you must have a working smoke alarm on every level of your residential home. This law has been in place since August 1997 and all smoke alarms must comply with Australian Standards AS 3786.
• This also extends to rental properties
• There are two types of smoke alarms:
  1. Regular smoke alarm with 9v battery (either stand-alone or mains powered)
  2. 10-year tamper-proof alarm with 10-year battery (either stand-alone or mains powered)

  Note: mains powered smoke alarms have either a 9v battery or 10-year lifespan battery)

• 240-volt main powered smoke alarms must be installed by a licensed electrician.
• The MFB recommends 10-year long-life lithium battery smoke alarms with a tamper-proof chamber (either stand-alone or connected to mains power). The lifespan of these batteries is 10 years, and there is no need to replace batteries for the lifespan of these type of smoke alarms. You simply replace the entire smoke alarm unit every 10 years.
• Only purchase smoke alarms that comply with Australian Standards AS 3786, indicated by the Standards Australia ‘five ticks’ symbols on the smoke alarm or packaging.
• Smoke alarms can be purchased from most hardware stores, electrical retailers, fire protection companies, department stores and major supermarkets.
• Smoke alarms must be installed outside each bedroom area and throughout the rest of the house. In a two-storey home, a smoke alarm must be installed on every level. If a level does not contain a bedroom, it must be located in the path people are likely to take to evacuate.
• Specialized smoke alarms are available for people who are deaf or hard of hearing.
• Regular testing of your smoke alarm is suggested every month to test the battery. This is done by holding the test button until the alarm beeps three times.

Just remember – Only working smoke alarms save lives!

and

Don’t forget to adjust your clock for daylight savings.