Queensland Smoke Alarm Rules
Every rental property in Queensland must meet new rules set down by the Government by the 31st of December 2021.
There are approximately 500,000 rental properties in QLD, and with every property needing to be compliant by the deadline, there is a good chance that some properties will not be ready in time. This means fines from the QFES for non-compliance.
What are the new rules?
Smoke alarms in the dwelling must:
i) be photoelectric (AS 3786-2014); and
ii) not also contain an ionisation sensor; and
iii) be less than 10 years old; and
iv) operate when tested; and
v) be interconnected with every other smoke alarm in the dwelling so all activate
together.
Smoke alarms must be installed on each storey:
i) in each bedroom; and
ii) in hallways which connect bedrooms and the rest of the dwelling; or
iii) if there is no hallway, between the bedrooms and other parts of the storey; and
iv) 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 powered by a non-removable 10-year battery.
Prescribed Locations for Installing Smoke Alarms
Where practicable smoke alarms must be placed on the ceiling. Smoke alarms must not be placed:
i) within 300mm of a corner of a ceiling and a wall;
ii) within 300mm of a light fitting;
iii) within 400mm of an air-conditioning vent;
iv) within 400mm of the blades of a ceiling fan.
There are special requirements for stairways, sloping ceilings, and ceilings with exposed beams. Specific requirements will be explained in the Building Fire Safety Regulation 2008.
If impractical for the prescribed location requirements to be met (e.g. may be affected by steam from shower or fumes from cooking), the owner may put the alarm at another location that will provide a warning to occupants of the dwelling.
How can we Help?
Here at My Repairbuild we have partnered with Fire Engineers and Certifiers to ensure that your Combustible Cladding Checklist is accurately completed. We will provide you with ongoing updates and advice in order to complete the Combustible Cladding Checklist within a reasonable time-frame and budget.
My Repairbuild are your trusted BIP’s with over 20 years’ experience in working with aluminium cladding panel.