Smoke alarms in the home

It has been a requirement to install smoke alarms in all residential homes for more than 20 years.

Installation

Install a smoke alarm outside each bedroom or sleeping area in your home, and on every level.

Avoid putting smoke alarms in kitchens, or outside the laundry or bathrooms, as cooking fumes and steam can set them off.

Also avoid putting smoke alarms in ‘dead air’ spaces such as corners or ridges of cathedral ceilings.

Ideally, they should be located in the centre of a ceiling and be a minimum of 300mm from a corner or 500mm from a cathedral ceiling ridge.

Smoke alarms can be either battery powered or connected to mains power, but all require a battery that should be replaced yearly.

Any smoke alarms more than 10 years old must be replaced.

Ensure the new alarm is placed in the same location as the previous alarm and is connected to the mains power where required.

Some smoke alarms can be interconnected so they are simultaneously activated when smoke is detected.

For more information on smoke alarms, visit Country Fire Authority

Was this page useful? * (required)

Help us improve this site

Yes

Maybe

How can we improve this page?

Please enter your email address if you would like a response to your feedback.

Type the characters you see in the image below * (Required)

Please enter the text in the image