Blog Post
Smoke Alarms
- By Stephen Searle
- •
- 03 Feb, 2019
- •
Photo-Electric Hard-wired Smoke Alarms
Powerforce Electrical can supply and install Hard-wired Smoke Alarms into your property. Whether it is to replace existing ones that are more than ten years old or to install smoke alarms into a property that doesn't have any, we can help you.
We only use Clipsal Photo-Electric type hard-wired smoke alarms because we have found that these are not only the easiest to install but they are also very user friendly for the homeowner or tenant due to the easy access to the 9 Volt Battery. They are also very reliable and it is rare that I need to replace one under warranty due to a fault. They have a 5 year full replacement warranty so that means if they become faulty within the first five years since installation, I will come out and replace it at no cost to you. I have used cheaper brands in the past and found that they are not worth the small saving due to having a high number of returns and complaints so they are more hassle than they are worth. I would much rather install a quality smoke alarm into my customer's homes so I know they have a great product that will do what is required and also not have to go and replace multiple units because they are cheap and nasty.
Smoke Alarms have been proven to save lives and they are now a legal requirement to be installed whenever you sell a property or rent it out. They have a life of ten years and need to be replaced after that time to guarantee they will work if required. Smoke Alarms now have to be compliant with Australian Standards A.S. 3786:2014 and have that number written on the smoke alarm or they can not be installed. The requirement is now to only install Photo-Electric type, these have replaced ionisation type smoke alarms which can no longer be used. Photoelectric smoke alarms are better for homes because they sense smouldering fires and dense smoke much faster than ionisation type smoke alarms. Photoelectric type are also less likely to have nuisance alarming when installed near kitchens, laundries or bathrooms as they are less affected by general cooking or by steam from showers or dryers.
There are some electrical contractors that will try and tell you that you always need a minimum of two hard-wired smoke alarms installed before you can sell or rent a property. This is not true, it depends on the layout of your home with regards to where the bedrooms are. The requirement is that a hard-wired smoke alarm must be installed in the passageway outside the bedrooms. If all the bedrooms in the house come off one passageway, provided that hallway is not especially long, then there is a chance that you only need one. If that hallway can then be closed off by way of a door from the rest of the house then you will probably need two to ensure if a fire for example starts in the kitchen then it will alarm before reaching the bedrooms especially if the smoke alarms are interconnected. If your home has one bedroom at the front of the property and the others at the rear then that is when you will need a minimum of two. There are instances where you could require four or five smoke alarms but they are usually two-storey homes with multiple locations of bedrooms as well as at the top and bottom of the stairwell.
This is also why the authorities want smoke alarms interconnected where there are two or more smoke alarms installed in a property. Interconnected means that if one smoke alarm goes off then the other/s will alarm also. This is because the faster you can be alerted that there is smoke or fire in the home, the faster you can get out if required or even contain and extinguish it yourself so it doesn't spread.
Sometimes installing a smoke alarm cannot be done without concealing the wiring. This is usually for homes with concrete ceilings or flat asbestos roofs with no access into the roof space. In these cases a ten-year battery smoke alarm may be used but it must be noted that you cannot just install a ten-year battery smoke alarm just because it is more convenient than a hard-wired smoke alarm.
Thanks for reading and if you have any questions please Contact Us. For more information on smoke alarms please visit https://www.dfes.wa.gov.au/safetyinformation/fire/fireinthehome/pages/smokealarmlegislativerequireme...
We only use Clipsal Photo-Electric type hard-wired smoke alarms because we have found that these are not only the easiest to install but they are also very user friendly for the homeowner or tenant due to the easy access to the 9 Volt Battery. They are also very reliable and it is rare that I need to replace one under warranty due to a fault. They have a 5 year full replacement warranty so that means if they become faulty within the first five years since installation, I will come out and replace it at no cost to you. I have used cheaper brands in the past and found that they are not worth the small saving due to having a high number of returns and complaints so they are more hassle than they are worth. I would much rather install a quality smoke alarm into my customer's homes so I know they have a great product that will do what is required and also not have to go and replace multiple units because they are cheap and nasty.
Smoke Alarms have been proven to save lives and they are now a legal requirement to be installed whenever you sell a property or rent it out. They have a life of ten years and need to be replaced after that time to guarantee they will work if required. Smoke Alarms now have to be compliant with Australian Standards A.S. 3786:2014 and have that number written on the smoke alarm or they can not be installed. The requirement is now to only install Photo-Electric type, these have replaced ionisation type smoke alarms which can no longer be used. Photoelectric smoke alarms are better for homes because they sense smouldering fires and dense smoke much faster than ionisation type smoke alarms. Photoelectric type are also less likely to have nuisance alarming when installed near kitchens, laundries or bathrooms as they are less affected by general cooking or by steam from showers or dryers.
There are some electrical contractors that will try and tell you that you always need a minimum of two hard-wired smoke alarms installed before you can sell or rent a property. This is not true, it depends on the layout of your home with regards to where the bedrooms are. The requirement is that a hard-wired smoke alarm must be installed in the passageway outside the bedrooms. If all the bedrooms in the house come off one passageway, provided that hallway is not especially long, then there is a chance that you only need one. If that hallway can then be closed off by way of a door from the rest of the house then you will probably need two to ensure if a fire for example starts in the kitchen then it will alarm before reaching the bedrooms especially if the smoke alarms are interconnected. If your home has one bedroom at the front of the property and the others at the rear then that is when you will need a minimum of two. There are instances where you could require four or five smoke alarms but they are usually two-storey homes with multiple locations of bedrooms as well as at the top and bottom of the stairwell.
This is also why the authorities want smoke alarms interconnected where there are two or more smoke alarms installed in a property. Interconnected means that if one smoke alarm goes off then the other/s will alarm also. This is because the faster you can be alerted that there is smoke or fire in the home, the faster you can get out if required or even contain and extinguish it yourself so it doesn't spread.
Sometimes installing a smoke alarm cannot be done without concealing the wiring. This is usually for homes with concrete ceilings or flat asbestos roofs with no access into the roof space. In these cases a ten-year battery smoke alarm may be used but it must be noted that you cannot just install a ten-year battery smoke alarm just because it is more convenient than a hard-wired smoke alarm.
Thanks for reading and if you have any questions please Contact Us. For more information on smoke alarms please visit https://www.dfes.wa.gov.au/safetyinformation/fire/fireinthehome/pages/smokealarmlegislativerequireme...
Powerforce Electrical can install double power points in your home for $180 including GST. If you require two, the price would be $340 and then $160 each additional double power point after that. Prices quoted are for supply of all materials and for installation on a double brick cavity wall in a single storey home with a tiled roof with easy access into the roof space. If you require the power points on a single brick wall then the price will vary as more time and materials are generally required to complete the installation.
Generally, the way to check if the wall is single brick or double brick is to determine where you want the power point and then look to see what is directly on the other side of the wall. If it is the outside then there is a good chance it is double brick and installing a power point shouldn't be a problem. If you check and there is another room or an enclosed garage on the other side of the wall then it is most likely only single brick and installation of a power point in that location is not possible without looking at other options.
Those options are to either chase the wall (cutting a channel in the wall for the cable to be recessed) or to use duct or conduit down the wall. The disadvantage of chasing the wall is that you will need to plaster and paint the wall where the cable has been chased into it. We will fill the chasing with mortar after the cable has been installed but plastering and painting will be up to you.
The other option is to install the cable in 25mm x 16mm ducting or in conduit on the other side of the wall. This is only really an option if there is a wardrobe, pantry or the garage on the other side of the wall. The reason for this is because most people don't want to walk into a room inside their house and see conduit coming down the wall. Its not so bad in the garage and if its in a wardrobe or pantry then you aren't going to really notice it.
Powerforce Electrical also install Weatherproof Power Points, Pool and Spa power points, power points for range hoods (we don't install range hoods as they are required to be flued to outside by way of a vent on your roof and cannot just be allowed to vent into your roof space).
So if you require any additional power points, give Steve a call on 0421 579 915. Thanks for reading.
Generally, the way to check if the wall is single brick or double brick is to determine where you want the power point and then look to see what is directly on the other side of the wall. If it is the outside then there is a good chance it is double brick and installing a power point shouldn't be a problem. If you check and there is another room or an enclosed garage on the other side of the wall then it is most likely only single brick and installation of a power point in that location is not possible without looking at other options.
Those options are to either chase the wall (cutting a channel in the wall for the cable to be recessed) or to use duct or conduit down the wall. The disadvantage of chasing the wall is that you will need to plaster and paint the wall where the cable has been chased into it. We will fill the chasing with mortar after the cable has been installed but plastering and painting will be up to you.
The other option is to install the cable in 25mm x 16mm ducting or in conduit on the other side of the wall. This is only really an option if there is a wardrobe, pantry or the garage on the other side of the wall. The reason for this is because most people don't want to walk into a room inside their house and see conduit coming down the wall. Its not so bad in the garage and if its in a wardrobe or pantry then you aren't going to really notice it.
Powerforce Electrical also install Weatherproof Power Points, Pool and Spa power points, power points for range hoods (we don't install range hoods as they are required to be flued to outside by way of a vent on your roof and cannot just be allowed to vent into your roof space).
So if you require any additional power points, give Steve a call on 0421 579 915. Thanks for reading.
Powerforce Electrical can install ceiling fans to replace existing lights or in a new position by themselves. The most popular way is to buy a ceiling fan with a light fitting attached and install it where the old light fitting is. There are two ways of switching on the fan, either by a remote control or with a fan controller switch on the wall. Either way, both are time consuming and a lot more involved than just putting up a light.
Remote Control - No additional wiring is usually required for installing a ceiling fan/light fitting with remote control if it is to replace an existing light. This is because the switching is done by the receiver unit which is usually installed in the base cover that attaches to the ceiling and is operated by the handset which can be fitted next to the light switch or left on the bedside table or anywhere more convenient.
Wall Controller - These usually require more work due to the need for additional switch wiring. Because most builders unfortunately don't provide conduit in the wall to allow additional switch wiring to go from the light switch into the roof space, the wall controller usually needs to be installed on a double brick cavity wall (usually next to the window in a bedroom). Sometimes it is more convenient to install the wiring in conduit though a wardrobe or cupboard to mount the wall controller.
Regardless of whether the ceiling fan is remote control or wired into a wall controller, the most important thing is that it is secured onto a timber or steel support beam in the roof. This is not only because of the weight of a ceiling fan but also because the constant spinning motion will eventually cause it to come loose from the ceiling if not secured properly. That is something I have been called out to a property to fix after a customer bought a house with ceiling fans already installed but after a few years, one fell out of the ceiling and tripped the RCD for the lighting circuit. It was found that another two fans had also been installed this way and it was lucky no one was injured. Needless to say, I made sure all the fans in the house were properly fitted to the ceiling so that would not happen to them again.
Don't risk it, always use a licensed reputable electrician for ALL your wiring needs.
Remote Control - No additional wiring is usually required for installing a ceiling fan/light fitting with remote control if it is to replace an existing light. This is because the switching is done by the receiver unit which is usually installed in the base cover that attaches to the ceiling and is operated by the handset which can be fitted next to the light switch or left on the bedside table or anywhere more convenient.
Wall Controller - These usually require more work due to the need for additional switch wiring. Because most builders unfortunately don't provide conduit in the wall to allow additional switch wiring to go from the light switch into the roof space, the wall controller usually needs to be installed on a double brick cavity wall (usually next to the window in a bedroom). Sometimes it is more convenient to install the wiring in conduit though a wardrobe or cupboard to mount the wall controller.
Regardless of whether the ceiling fan is remote control or wired into a wall controller, the most important thing is that it is secured onto a timber or steel support beam in the roof. This is not only because of the weight of a ceiling fan but also because the constant spinning motion will eventually cause it to come loose from the ceiling if not secured properly. That is something I have been called out to a property to fix after a customer bought a house with ceiling fans already installed but after a few years, one fell out of the ceiling and tripped the RCD for the lighting circuit. It was found that another two fans had also been installed this way and it was lucky no one was injured. Needless to say, I made sure all the fans in the house were properly fitted to the ceiling so that would not happen to them again.
Don't risk it, always use a licensed reputable electrician for ALL your wiring needs.
Thank you for reading my posts. I can guarantee that everything I post in this blog section will not be a cut and paste but my own words. I hope that I can post about topics that will be useful for you to read about. Cheers, Steve.
