Category: Info

Queensland is undergoing a phased roll-out of new smoke alarm legislation, culminating in 2027. It is unsurprising then that there is misinformation regarding smoke alarm requirements – particularly surrounding the installation of wireless 10-year battery powered smoke alarms vs 240V hardwired smoke alarms.

Can I Install Wireless 10-year Battery Powered

Smoke Alarms In QLD?

YES! you can. It is legal and perfectly acceptable to install wireless 10-year battery powered smoke alarms in your Queensland home, provided you are not performing any of the 3 activities below;

  1. Constructing a new home
  2. Performing a substantial renovation
  3. Replacing an existing 240V hardwired smoke alarm

Prior to installing any smoke alarm it is important to understand their differences and when each type is permissible. Information contained in this article is sourced directly from the QLD Government. We encourage you to view and read the legislation for yourself too – direct links to all official government sources are included at the bottom of this article.

Queensland’s Building Fire Safety (Domestic Smoke Alarms) Legislation Amendment Regulation 2016 prescribes the legal ways of powering smoke alarms for domestic dwellings. It states that both 240V hardwired smoke alarms and 10-year battery powered smoke alarms are allowed. See the excerpt below;

Queensland’s Fire Department website states that 10-year battery powered smoke alarms are acceptable, provided the three scenarios previously mentioned above are not being performed.

Advantages Of A 10-year Wireless Battery Fire Alarm

  • A wireless battery fire alarm powered by a 10-year non-removeable battery can be easily DIY installed and don’t require the expense of an electrician.
  • As the battery is sealed inside the smoke alarm (non-removeable) it lasts for the entire 10-year lifespan of the alarm and never needs to be replaced – no more annoying low battery chirp. After 10 years the whole alarm is simply swapped out for a new one.
  • Added versatility through wireless RF interconnection. In some situations it is physically impossible to install 240V hardwired alarms – i.e. where there are solid concrete ceilings or no roof cavity.

Do QLD Smoke Alarms Need To Be Hardwired By 2027?

The short answer to this question is NO, they don’t. Although there are a lot of houses built in Queensland that require hardwired smoke alarms, there are just as many that have the option to use wireless 10-year battery powered smoke alarms and still be 100% compliant.

When Must I Install a 240V Hardwired Smoke Alarm In QLD?

There are 3 situations in Queensland where it is a statutory requirement for 240V hardwired smoke alarms to be installed in a domestic dwelling (and 10-year battery powered smoke alarms may not be used). Outside of these 3 scenarios it is acceptable to install 10-year battery powered smoke alarms in your home.

1) If You Are Constructing A New Home

If you are constructing a new home in QLD then hardwired smoke alarms are required as part of the building approval process. Queensland’s Building Regulation 2021 states that when constructing a new home, the smoke alarms must be hardwired to the domestic dwelling’s electricity supply.

2) If You Are Performing A Substantial Renovation

The Queensland Fire Services Act 1990 states that hardwired smoke alarms must be installed when a substantial renovation is being performed to a domestic dwelling.

3) If You Are Replacing An Existing Hardwired Smoke Alarm

The Queensland Fire Services Act 1990 also states that if a pre-existing smoke alarm being replaced was hardwired to the domestic dwelling’s electricity supply, then the replacement smoke alarm must be hardwired to the dwelling’s electricity supply.

Outside of the 3 scenarios described above, it is legal and perfectly acceptable in QLD to install wireless interconnected photoelectric smoke alarms which are

powered by a non-removeable 10-year battery.

Want to do some further reading? Links to all official sources in this article are provided below.

You may also want to check out our other blog post ‘What do the QLD smoke alarm laws actually state?‘

QLD Building Fire Safety (Domestic Smoke Alarms) Legislation Amendment Regulation 2016

States that both 240V hardwired smoke alarms and 10-year battery powered smoke alarms are allowed in domestic QLD dwellings.

QLD Building Regulation 2021

States that when constructing a new home in QLD, the smoke alarms must be hardwired to the domestic dwelling’s electricity supply.

QLD Fire and Services Act 1990 (formerly known as the QLD Fire and Emergency Services Act 1990)

States hardwired smoke alarms must be installed when performing a substantial renovation or replacing an existing hardwired smoke alarm.

QLD Fire Department website – 2027 Smoke Alarm Legislation Fact Sheet

States that interconnected smoke alarms must be either hardwired or powered by a non-removable 10 year battery, or a combination of both may be allowed.

States that existing hardwired smoke alarms that need replacement must be replaced with a hardwired smoke alarm.

Want to know more? Watch our ZEN quick start video or call us on 0478 596 402 today

We love talking smoke alarms!

ZEN Photoelectric Smoke Alarms

New Farm, QLD, 4005

Learn how to test and clean your ZEN interconnected photoelectric smoke alarms to maintain their peak performance for a full 10-year lifespan.

Testing Your Interconnected Photoelectric Smoke Alarms

How to test your ZEN Smoke Alarms

It is recommended to test ZEN Smoke Alarms monthly. The smoke alarm test sequence should take no more than 10 seconds and will silence automatically.

How to test your ZEN Smoke Alarms:

  1. Press the test button once on the remote control or push down on the centre surface of any smoke alarm.
  2. When the alarm sounds loud and clear and is accompanied by a red flashing light it means your smoke alarm is working correctly. If the smoke alarm sounds weak, does not sound at all, or the red light does not flash, you may need to replace the smoke alarm.
  3. Allow the smoke alarms to finish their full test sequence without pressing any other buttons – all other interconnected smoke alarms will silence automatically within 10 seconds.

It is not recommended to use real smoke, or any other means to test your alarms – doing so can degrade the internal photoelectric sensors, which may induce random nuisance alarming or could even reduce the smoke alarm’s overall life expectancy.

Cleaning Your Interconnected Photoelectric Smoke Alarms

How to clean your ZEN Smoke Alarms

How to clean your ZEN Smoke Alarms:

  1. Clean your ZEN Smoke Alarm every 6 months by gently vacuuming around it with the soft brush attachment from a vacuum cleaner. Do not spray chemical cleaning agents onto the smoke alarm as this may confuse the sensor and induce nuisance alarming.
  2. Be sure to remove cobwebs or any other interference material from the ceiling area around your photoelectric smoke alarms.

Correct Photoelectric Smoke Alarm Placement

It is important that your interconnected photoelectric smoke alarms are installed in the correct locations within your home. Avoid installing smoke alarms in areas such as kitchens, bathrooms or laundry rooms, where very high humidity or temperature changes can affect their performance. Do not install photoelectric smoke alarms outdoors, in semi-enclosed areas, or in rooms subject to excess dust. The ‘recommended placement’ section on our website homepage provides further guidance on exactly where smoke alarms should / should not be installed.

Want to know more? Watch our ZEN quick start video or call us on 0478 596 402 today

We love talking smoke alarms!

ZEN Photoelectric Smoke Alarms

New Farm, QLD, 4005

There are several important differences between ZEN wireless interconnected photoelectric smoke alarms and conventional smoke alarms.

ZEN Smoke Alarms Are Photoelectric Smoke Alarms

1) Our smoke alarms are photoelectric (not ionisation). Older conventional smoke alarms use radioactive ionisation as the process by which they detect smoke particles in the air. Ionisation smoke alarms are good at detecting smoke from fast flaming fires, but are less adept at detecting smoke from smouldering flames which is common of most house fires. Ionisation alarms have also been known to cause frustrating nuisance alarms, which might condition people to switch them off, putting themselves at risk. For these reasons the older style ionisation smoke alarms are being phased out both in Australia and internationally. All ZEN Smoke Alarms are the photoelectric type and do not also contain an ionisation sensor.

ZEN Are Wirelessly Interconnected Smoke Alarms

2) ZEN Smoke Alarms are wirelessly interconnected smoke alarms (no wifi or internet required). Older smoke alarms typically operated as stand-alone units. If a smoke alarm sensed smoke on the ground floor of a building – yes it may activate, but any other smoke alarms on the upper floors would not activate until smoke had entered the same air space – by this time it could be too late to initiate an effective response (or escape).

Our ZEN Smoke Alarm bundle packs (5, 7 or 10-packs) arrive to you already wirelessly ‘interconnected’ together – there is no complicated pairing process as we’ve done it for you! If one ZEN interconnected smoke alarm detects smoke anywhere within a building, then all interconnected smoke alarms paired within the same network will simultaneously initiate their alarm. This can provide increased early warning and response time for residents.

ZEN Smoke Alarms Have A 10-Year Long Life Battery

3) Our interconnected smoke alarms have a sealed (non-removeable) 10-year long life 3v lithium battery. Conventional smoke alarms are usually powered by a 9v replaceable battery. When the battery life becomes drained over time the smoke alarm begins to emit a loud intermittent ‘chirp’ noise. The chirp serves as a noisy (and annoying) reminder to replace the battery, and continues until the battery is replaced. As seen in past events, residents can remove the battery, disabling the chirping noise and the alarm itself, often with tragic consequences.

Because our smoke alarms are powered by a long life 10-year lithium  battery which is sealed inside the unit, the battery cannot be deliberately removed. At the end of the 10-year battery life span, the entire smoke alarm unit is simply replaced with a new one!

ZEN Smoke Alarms Can Be Easily DIY Installed

4) As there is no electrical wiring required, ZEN wireless interconnected smoke alarms can be easily DIY installed using the included screws and mounting bracket. A compliance certificate showing that the smoke alarms are Australian Standard 3786:2014 compliant is also included in the box with every ZEN Smoke Alarm.

ZEN Smoke Alarms Free Shipping And Same Day Dispatch

5) ZEN Smoke Alarms offer FREE Australia Post shipping for all ZEN Smoke Alarm bundle packs, and same day dispatch if placed before 1:30pm business days – how good is that! Customers tell us they love our super-fast Australia wide delivery. Note we are not an offshore drop shipper. All our Aussie stock is kept locally at warehouses in Brisbane, QLD.

ZEN Smoke Alarms Are Remote Control Compatible

6) ZEN Smoke Alarm bundle packs include a free remote control device (can also be purchased separately). Whilst the alarms will work perfectly fine without it, the ZEN remote control provides added convenience in that it allows you to periodically test the alarms, without having to reach up to the ceiling to press the alarm itself.

Probably the best feature of the ZEN remote control though, is the silence (hush) button. The silence button eliminates rushing around in a mad panic when you burn the toast in the kitchen. It also allows you to quickly and easily identify the location of the source alarm or problem area.

ZEN Smoke Alarm Bundle Packs Include A FREE Fire Blanket!

7) All ZEN Smoke Alarm bundle packs (5, 7, 10 pack) also receive a FREE fire blanket! (in addition to the free bonus remote). The ZEN fire blanket provides an easy and effective way to quickly extinguish small fires, which can prevent them from spreading and causing more serious damage. Measuring 1m x 1m in size, the ZEN fire blanket perfectly complements the ZEN photoelectric smoke range and is ideal for your home kitchen, BBQ area, garage, caravan, car or boat.

Australian Standard Certification Included In the Box

ZEN Smoke Alarms are manufactured, tested and certified to Australian Standard 3786:2014. A copy of the certificate is included in the box with every alarm. Always look for the bright red Australian Standard Certified logo on our products and packaging – this is your genuine symbol of quality.

ZEN Smoke Alarms Offer Amazing After-Sales Support

And Excellent Customer Service

8) Shop with confidence knowing you are buying from a well established, knowledgeable, and trustworthy company – upholding good business ethics is important to us. Got a question or problem? – call Christian anytime on 0478 596 402 – he loves to help!

9) We are also members of professional industry associations such as the Fire Protection Association Australia (FPAA) – this is your symbol of trust. But don’t just take our word for it, see what others are saying with over 150+ Google 5-star reviews! – ZEN Photoelectric Smoke Alarms located in New Farm, QLD.

Want to know more? Watch our ZEN quick start video or call us on 0478 596 402 today.

We love talking smoke alarms!

ZEN Photoelectric Smoke Alarms

New Farm, QLD, 4005

The Queensland Christmas season is synonymous with family fun and warm summer holiday weather. However, amidst the festive cheer, it’s also important to consider fire safety to ensure your celebrations remain merry and bright. Christmas fire safety is important during this time of year, as the combination of dry Christmas trees, electrical lighting, and other festive decorations can pose a potential fire hazard. Here are some essential tips to keep your family home safe and sound this Queensland Christmas season.

Mindful Christmas Tree Placement

If you are using a real natural pine tree as a Christmas tree, choose one that is fresh and green and keep it well-hydrated. Position it away from any potential heat sources. A dry Christmas tree can quickly become a fire hazard, so water it regularly and dispose of it promptly after the holidays.

Position your tree strategically – make sure it’s not blocking any exits. This ensures that, in the unfortunate event of a fire, everyone can easily evacuate the home.

Christmas Lights Check

Inspect all Christmas lights before decorating your tree and home. Discard any frayed or damaged cords and replace burnt-out bulbs. Opt for LED lights, which emit less heat than traditional incandescent lights, reducing the risk of fire. Be wary of non-compliant cheap imports and ensure your lights have the appropriate Australian electrical safety Regulatory Compliance Mark (RCM). Always turn off all Christmas lights and decorations before going to bed or leaving the house. This simple step not only conserves energy but also reduces the risk of electrical malfunctions that could lead to a fire.

Interconnected Photoelectric Smoke Alarms

Equip your home with ZEN interconnected photoelectric smoke alarms inside every bedroom, hallway outside the bedrooms, and have at least one on each level of the dwelling. Press the test button on your interconnected smoke alarms to check they are in good working order (i.e. so if one smoke alarm goes off, they all go off). If you haven’t done so already, create a home fire safety plan and share it with your family and any visitors who may be staying with you over the holiday period. Keep fire a fire blanket handy, and make sure everyone knows its location and how to use it. Spending 10 minutes to review this information with your loved ones could avoid becoming a Christmas tragedy headline on the evening news.

Power Board Wisdom

Avoid overloading electrical wall outlets and power boards. Spread out the use of multiple appliances and decorations across different outlets to prevent overloading and subsequent overheating. Choose a power board which has in-built overload protection.

Candle Caution

Candles add a traditional warm glow to the festive atmosphere, but they can also pose a fire risk. Keep candles away from flammable materials such as window curtains, place them in stable holders, and never leave them unattended. Consider using realistic looking flameless LED candles as a safer modern alternative.

Cooking Vigilance

The holiday season often involves elaborate meals and festive cooking. Stay vigilant in the kitchen, and never leave cooking unattended. Keep flammable items, such as kitchen tea towels and oven mitts, away from open flames and other heat sources. Keep a fire blanket nearby to help extinguish any cooking flames on the stove top.

Conclusion

By following these Christmas fire safety tips, you can enjoy a festive and worry-free holiday season. Ensuring interconnected photoelectric smoke alarms are installed and working means the joy of Christmas remains in our hearts without the threat of fire casting a shadow on the celebrations. Merry Christmas Queensland! Thank you all for your amazing support, and we look forward to another incredibly busy and productive year ahead! Best wishes and Happy New Year to all!

Want to know more? Watch our ZEN quick start video or call us on 0478 596 402 today

We love talking smoke alarms!

ZEN Photoelectric Smoke Alarms

New Farm, QLD, 4005