Smoke Alarms Save Lives — Is Your Home Compliant?
Smoke alarms are your first line of defence in a house fire. In NSW, specific regulations govern where smoke alarms must be installed, what type is required, and how they must be maintained. Many older homes in Sydney's Eastern Suburbs still rely on battery-only alarms that may not meet current standards.
Randwick Electrical installs hardwired, interconnected smoke alarm systems that meet (and exceed) NSW requirements. When one alarm detects smoke, all alarms in the home sound simultaneously — giving everyone the maximum warning time to evacuate.
NSW Smoke Alarm Regulations
Under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Regulation (2000) and the Building Code of Australia, NSW homes must have smoke alarms:
- On every level of the home, including the garage if it's attached
- In every bedroom or sleeping area
- In hallways associated with bedrooms
- Hardwired with battery backup for new builds, renovations, and when selling/renting (best practice for all homes)
- Interconnected so all alarms sound when any single alarm is triggered
- Photoelectric type — ionisation alarms are no longer recommended by Fire & Rescue NSW as they're slower to detect smouldering fires
Our Smoke Alarm Services
- New installations — hardwired smoke alarms with battery backup, installed in compliant locations with interconnection between all units
- Upgrades from battery-only — we run cabling and install hardwired alarms to replace standalone battery units
- Testing and maintenance — annual smoke alarm testing including battery replacement, sensor cleaning, and functionality verification
- Rental property compliance — landlords are required to ensure smoke alarms are installed and functional before each new tenancy. We provide compliance certificates
- Strata and multi-unit — bulk installations for apartment buildings, townhouse complexes, and strata-managed properties
Types of Smoke Alarms We Install
We exclusively install photoelectric smoke alarms — the type recommended by Fire & Rescue NSW and all major fire authorities in Australia. Photoelectric alarms are more effective at detecting slow, smouldering fires (the most common type of fatal house fire) and are less prone to nuisance alarms from cooking or steam.
All alarms we install are hardwired to your home's electrical system with a sealed lithium battery backup that lasts the 10-year life of the alarm. This means they'll continue working during a power outage.