Everything You Need To Know About Smoke Alarms In QLDPosted by Ali Tariq on June 24th, 2022 Smoke alarms in QLD are designed to detect areas of smoke and heat, which can indicate the start of a fire. Their continual beeping sounds when they detect smoke or fire can help you find your way out quickly from the house safely. The Queensland Fire and Emergency Services Authority has a few safety tips you should know about smoke alarms. Since their start, all new homes built in Queensland have been required to have smoke alarms installed by law. If you are unsure whether your home is fitted with smoke alarms, check if your home has mains power and a hard-wired telephone. If so, it should be fitted with a working smoke alarm. In the event of an electrical fire, do not operate any phones or switches until there is no sign of a fire or no more flames are visible. Also, attempt to stay low to the ground and alert others in the building that there is a fire. Fire crews will be at your location in minutes if they know the building they need to enter has smoke alarms installed. Why do you need smoke alarms?When a fire occurs it will often create smoke, which can be hard to detect. Smoke alarms in QLD are designed to detect areas of smoke and heat, which can indicate the start of a fire. Their continual beeping sounds when they detect smoke or fire can help you find your way out quickly from the house safely. A common misconception is that smoke alarms are only useful when the power fails. This is not the case, even when there is no power present. Smoke alarms will still be able to detect and notify you of a fire even if there is no power present. Smoke alarms do not need to be plugged in or powered up to work, although it is always better to have them connected and working properly than not at all. Based on extensive research, it has been found that most homes with smoke alarms are less likely to suffer a fire than those without them. Where should you place your smoke alarms?Smoke alarms need to be placed on every level of the home, inside bedrooms, living rooms, and kitchens. Check the manufacturer's manual for each smoke alarm for specific installation information. Smoke alarms should be installed a minimum of 10m away from heat sources like wood stoves and fireplaces. Also, ensure you are not creating a fire hazard by plugging too many extension cords into a powerpoint. It is recommended that you have no more than three plugs in one power point to avoid overloading your power supply. It is also recommended to avoid leaving electrical appliances in possible areas where fires may occur. How often should you test your smoke alarms?Each smoke alarm should be tested monthly, or at least once a week. To test the smoke alarm you need to disconnect it for about two minutes, then reconnect it to check that it is still working. This can be done through the plug-in socket or by replacing the battery. The louder the noise your smoke alarm makes, the faster you will notice that there is a fire occurring in your home and allow more time for escape, with minimum damage to your home and property. What does a smoke alarm sound like?Smoke alarms in QLD will sound like beeping and screeching which can be very irritating at times. The reason for these noise levels is to get your attention as soon as possible and alert you that there is a fire occurring in the home. The noises you hear from your smoke alarm will differ depending on the manufacturer, but they all have various features that indicate a fire has occurred or may occur in your home. A beeping noise indicates there is no imminent danger of a fire, while a screeching noise indicates there is an immediate danger of a fire occurring or already happening. ConclusionSmoke alarms in QLD have to be installed by a qualified electrician – it can be time-consuming but is important to get right. There is no point in letting it get to the stage of a fire occurring if you have done all you can to prevent a fire from occurring in your home. Like it? Share it!More by this author |