Only working smoke alarms save lives.
Fires are fast. A small fire can spread to an entire room in minutes.
Without a smoke alarm a fire is more likely to damage or destroy your property. It is also more likely to cause serious injury or death.
When you are asleep you lose your sense of smell. A working smoke alarm will wake you if there is smoke.
You can learn more through our smoke alarms brochure.
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All Victorian residential properties must have smoke alarms on every level. This includes all houses, units, flats and townhouses. Smoke alarms must meet Australian standard: AS 3786.
For the best protection, install interconnected smoke alarms in every sleeping area and living room. If one smoke alarm activates, all alarms will sound.
Install smoke alarms with a 10 year-long-life battery. If you have a smoke alarm with a 9-volt battery, replace the battery every year.
If your smoke alarm emits a single, occasional beep, you need to change the battery, or the smoke alarm may be faulty and you need to replace it.
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Property type Minimum smoke alarm requirement Residential home constructed before 1 August 1997 Stand-alone nine volt battery powered smoke alarms installed. Residential home constructed, largely renovated, or extended after 1 August 1997 Hard wired smoke alarms that are connected to 240 volt mains power and have a back-up battery. Residential home constructed, largely renovated, or extended after 1 May 2014 Interconnected, hard wired smoke alarms that are connected to 240 volt mains power and have a back-up battery. -
There is no point having a smoke alarm if it does not work.
You must:
Action When How TEST your smoke alarm batteries Every month Press and hold the test button until the smoke alarm beeps three times. CLEAN your smoke alarms Every year (minimum) Dust, vacuum or gently wipe around the cover to clean it so it will sound if there is smoke. REPLACE your 9 volt smoke alarm batteries* Every year *This advice is not relevant if you have a 10-year lithium battery smoke alarm. REPLACE all smoke alarm units Every ten years It is best to replace with hard-wired, interconnected smoke alarms.
Otherwise, replace it with a unit that has a tamper-proof chamber and 10-year lithium battery. -
There are smoke alarms for people who are deaf or hard of hearing. These smoke alarms alert people in different ways.
Some have vibrating pads, strobe lights, or emit different sounds. Each alarm should have at least two sensory alert types.
People who are deaf or hard of hearing should have these smoke alarms in their home.
The Victorian Government provides financial assistance via a subsidy. Visit Expression Australia to learn more.
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Connect smoke alarms in the homes of older people, or people with disability to a personal alarm system.
This will alert their personal alarm monitoring company, who can follow pre-arranged procedures.
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Under Victorian law and guidelines:
WHO RESPONSIBILITY Landlords/agents Must fit smoke alarms in rented properties1
Must ensure that the rented premises are maintained in good repair2
Clean smoke alarms and replace batteries each year3Tenants/renters Test smoke alarms monthly3
1 Consumer Affairs Victoria: Renting a home: A guide for tenants, p.24
2 Residential Tenancies Act, Section 68 (1)
3 Australasian Fire and Emergency Services Authorities Council (AFAC) - Smoke alarms information - Amharic (pdf)pdf 762.06 KBSmoke alarms information - Arabic (pdf)pdf 198.85 KBSmoke alarms information - Assyrian (pdf)pdf 198.85 KBSmoke alarms information - Burmese (pdf)pdf 417.8 KBSmoke alarms information - Dari (pdf)pdf 218.8 KBSmoke alarms information - Italian (pdf)pdf 243.65 KBSmoke alarms information - Karen (pdf)pdf 612.52 KBSmoke alarms information - Persian (pdf)pdf 222.86 KBSmoke alarms information - Punjabi (pdf)pdf 332.85 KBSmoke alarms information - Simplified Chinese (pdf)pdf 212.41 KBSmoke alarms information - Sinhalese (pdf)pdf 688.09 KBSmoke alarms information - Traditional Chinese (pdf)pdf 289.89 KBSmoke alarms information - Vietnamese (pdf)pdf 272.12 KB
Reviewed 14 August 2020