Stay calm and don’t panic

We all know that a fire can destroy your Hills District home in just minutes. And that’s why having safe and working smoke alarms is an important must-have for any property.

According to Fire & Rescue NSW: Legislation requires all NSW residents must have at least one working smoke alarm installed on each level of their home.

This includes owner-occupied, rental properties, relocatable homes, caravans, and campervans or any other residential building where people sleep.

Why are photoelectric smoke alarms preferred over Ionisation?

Photoelectric smoke detectors are recommended by Fire & Rescue NSW
They respond faster than other alarms to most fire types
They are less likely to cause false alarms
Very effective in detecting smouldering fires and as a result, they provide the earliest possible warning to residents.

How do I know what type of smoke alarms I have?

Ionisation alarms have a radioactive symbol on them
If you are not sure, give your local Hills District electrician a call and get it checked out

How many smoke alarms should I have in my home & where should I place them?

Whilst legislation requires one smoke alarm per level of your home, it is recommended that a smoke alarm is placed outside bedrooms or in hallways leading to sleeping areas.

Hardwired or battery-operated smoke alarms?

It is always recommended to have hardwired interconnected smoke alarms installed. This is the greatest protection for you and your home
Hardwired smoke alarms are connected with a 240 volt and also have batteries installed as backup. When your smoke alarm chirps it is because these batteries need to be replaced – generally every single year!
Battery-operated alarms should be fitted with 10-year lithium batteries. Replace your alarms at the same time as you replace your batteries.

How do I know if my smoke alarms are working?

You can test it’s working by pressing the Test button. Use a ladder or a broom handle for this. It should beep for a few seconds and then stop. If this does not happen, then it is best to get a local electrician to check it out and possibly replace it. Aim to test this at least once a month!
If it starts to chirp at any time, this means the batteries need to be changed.
Batteries should be changed every year. Set yourself a reminder to do this when you change your clocks over at Daylight Saving Time.
If you have any doubt about whether your smoke detectors are working, immediately call an electrician so they can conduct a thorough test.

Find a local electrician in Hills District right here

If you are looking for a reliable electrician in Hills District you can also try one from our Tradebusters Connect Top 3 Local Choice directory. The details of highly recommended local electricians in Sydney are listed here and you can contact them directly today.