Interconnected smoke alarms to meet the Queensland 2027 deadline

Alarms must be photoelectric, must not contain an ionisation sensor, and must be less than 10 years old.

Every required alarm must be interconnected with every other one, so all alarms sound together.

Alarms must be hard-wired to mains power, or powered by a non-removable 10-year battery.

One is needed in every bedroom, in hallways that connect bedrooms to the rest of the home (or between the bedroom and other rooms where there is no hallway), and at least one on every storey, including storeys without bedrooms.

Placement matters: on the ceiling where practicable, away from corners, light fittings, air-conditioning vents and ceiling fans.

Timeline: new builds and substantial renovations since 1 January 2017; homes sold or leased since 1 January 2022; every other domestic dwelling by 1 January 2027. This summary follows the Queensland Fire Department guidance; check fire.qld.gov.au for the full requirements.

We walk through the home with you and mark where alarms are required, including bedrooms, hallways and each storey.

Existing ionisation alarms and alarms older than 10 years are removed and replaced.

We install hard-wired photoelectric alarms with battery back-up, interconnected by wiring or wirelessly where cabling is impractical, so the whole set sounds together.

Every alarm is tested for interconnection and correct operation before we leave, and we show you how to test them yourself.

You receive the certificate of test and a record of alarm locations and dates, which is what a property manager, buyer or insurer will ask for.

If your switchboard needs a circuit or safety switch to power the alarms, we tell you before we start and quote it separately.

Rental properties have needed compliant, interconnected photoelectric alarms since 1 January 2022 for every new lease or renewal, and so has any home being sold. If you manage several properties across Ipswich, the Lockyer Valley or Somerset, we can schedule them in a run and send one set of records per property.

For owner-occupiers, the 1 January 2027 date is the deadline for every remaining home. Booking before the last few months avoids the rush and gives you time to fix anything else we find, such as a board with no spare circuit.

We do not sell alarms door to door and we do not send you bulk mailers. You get a written quote, the installation, the test records and a straight answer on what you do and do not need.

1. Tell us the number of bedrooms and storeys, whether the home is owner-occupied, rented or being sold, and what alarms are there now. A few photos help.

2. We quote in writing. Most homes are quoted from the details you send; larger or unusual layouts get a site visit first.

3. Installation is usually completed in a single visit, with the power off briefly while the alarm circuit is connected.

4. You receive the certificate of test and the alarm record by email.

The price depends on the number of alarms, whether the ceiling space is accessible for cabling, and whether the switchboard needs work. It is all in the written quote before we start, and any change on the day is put in writing before extra work is done.

Press the test button on each alarm once a month. With interconnected alarms, every unit in the house should sound when one is tested.

Vacuum around the alarm vents every few months so dust and insects do not cause nuisance alarms.

Never paint over an alarm, cover it, or remove it to stop it chirping. A chirp usually means a low battery or an alarm at end of life.

Every alarm has a manufacture date on the back. Replace it before it is 10 years old.

If an alarm keeps going off with no smoke or steam present, call us and we will check the circuit and the units rather than guess.

Do I really have to do this before 2027?

From 1 January 2027 every Queensland home must have interconnected photoelectric alarms in each bedroom, in hallways connecting bedrooms and on every storey. Homes being sold or leased have needed them since 2022. If your alarms are older than 10 years or are ionisation type, they need replacing anyway.

Can I use the 10-year battery alarms instead of hardwired?

Yes. Queensland allows non-removable 10-year battery alarms as long as they are photoelectric and interconnected, which suits homes where the ceiling space is hard to reach. Where the home already has hardwired alarms, the replacements must be hardwired too.

Do the new alarms have to be interconnected with wires?

No. They can be wired together or linked by radio frequency, and the two methods can be mixed. We choose what suits the house and prove the interconnection works before we leave.

How long does it take?

Most homes are done in one visit of a few hours. You will be without power for a short time while we connect the alarm circuit.

Which areas do you cover?

Ipswich and surrounds, the Lockyer Valley (Gatton, Laidley, Plainland, Forest Hill, Grantham, Helidon, Withcott, Glenore Grove) and Somerset (Fernvale, Lowood, Coominya, Esk, Toogoolawah), plus Minden and Marburg.