The average life span of a smoke detector is ten years, and it would not be an exaggeration to say that there would be thousands of householders who are unaware that their first line of protection against fire has passed its “use by” date. Replacing these ageing devices is an excellent opportunity to install a newer type of detector. The photoelectric smoke detector has a couple of advantages over its older counterpart.
Advantages of Photoelectric Smoke Detectors
Firstly, photoelectric smoke detectors have the potential to save more lives as they can detect certain types of fires much earlier than the ionisation type of detector. Smouldering or slow burning fires slowly release toxic fumes into the air that can kill a sleeping person well before the actual fire itself engulfs them. Smoke inhalation is a major cause of death in many residential fires.
Secondly, they are less sensitive to steam from a bathroom or laundry, or heat from the kitchen generated during cooking. This makes them less likely to activate in these situations, reducing the number of annoying false alarms that smoke detectors are renowned for.
Landlords Legally Responsible to Install Detectors in Rental Premises
For landlords, installing smoke detectors in their rental properties in Ingleburn is a legal requirement and a check of the status of these early warning devices should be included in the condition report for every tenancy. This is something that we check as part of our effective property management service to both our property owners and our tenants. While the legal responsibility to install working smoke detectors in rental properties rests with the owners, this is something we can manage on their behalf.
It is the responsibility of the tenant to clean and test the smoke detectors and to replace the batteries when necessary. The only exception to this is in South Australia, where it is the landlord’s responsibility, unless it is stated as otherwise in the tenancy agreement.
Licensed Electrician Required for Hard Wired Smoke Detectors
Battery powered alarms are easily installed by anyone with home handyman skills but if the alarms are wired in, only a licensed electrician can replace them. In premises where they are wired in, Prudential Real Estate property managers in Ingleburn will contact a licensed electrician to replace an ageing smoke detector with a new photoelectric model. If the premises have a 240v device it must be replaced with a 240v device.
Batteries should be replaced every twelve months or at the beginning of every new tenancy. For long term tenancies, we recommend that the tenant select a significant day of the year such as a birthday, and change the batteries every year on that day. This makes it much easier to remember.
