From November 2023 the Building Code for Protection from Fire will be amended to make interconnected smoke alarms the minimum fire safety system for new built homes and substantial renovations.
From November 2023 the Building Code for Protection from Fire will be amended to make interconnected smoke alarms the minimum fire safety system for new built homes and substantial renovations.
By checking your smoke alarm battery, placement, and functionality this daylight savings you can have peace of mind knowing that your house is covered for faster detection of smoke or fire. Plan ahead to protect both your home and family.
Every year the NZ Fire Service attends over 3500 house fires. An even more alarming statistic is that of the 80% of fatal house fires attended, smoke alarms were either not working or not present at all.
Use our 3 simple daylight savings fire safety checklists below:
1. SMOKE & THERMAL ALARM MAINTENANCE (aim to do monthly):
Check all batteries are working
Clear of any dust, cobwebs, grease etc.
Press all test buttons
Ensure they aren’t obstructed in any way
Check the alarm’s use-by/expiry date
2. CORRECT PLACEMENT OF ALARMS:
Mounted to the ceiling, 500mm away from the wall
For smoke alarms: install in bedrooms, hallways, stairways, and living areas
For thermal alarms: install in places where fires are likely to start faster such as the kitchen, garage, laundry or workshop
If you have arched ceilings, place alarm 500mm down from the peak on the ceiling
If using our Wireless Family alarms, ensure they are within 10m apart and can connect to each other
Using electric blankets that are more than 5 years old or appear to be worn out
Plugging heaters into powerboards (plug into the wall socket instead)
Covering heating appliances
Having furniture, curtains, clothes and children any closer than 1m from heaters
Overloading clothes dryers
Not clearing lint from clothes dryers
Leaving fire places uncleared and without a fireguard
You may also want to consider adding a fire extinguisher to your home and establishing an effective escape plan. For a more comprehensive checklist of home fire safety, visit the NZ Fire Service page here.
CAVIUS provides quality products, delivering up to 10 years of consistent detection of smoke and fire.
Learn more about or new Wireless Family alarms which sync with one another meaning that if there is a fire in one room of your house, the other Wireless Smoke Alarms and Thermal Heat Alarms will sound an alarm too.
Take care of your smoke alarm and it takes care of you.
How to look after your smoke alarms
Give them a vacuum (using the brush setting) or a wipe. It’s that easy. Ensuring there is no dust, cobwebs etc. covering the alarm is so important and will alleviate false alarms.
How often?
Aim to clean your alarms every 2-3 months. This may need to happen more regularly if they are in places that are extra dusty such as garages or workshops.
Why do we clean our alarms? Photoelectric alarms work by using an optical light, once that light is scattered the alarm will sound; If smoke can’t enter the chamber because it is blocked the alarm simply won’t be able to detect a fire.
Other important facts you need to know
You could encounter false alarms from dust or bugs living inside the smoke alarm chamber if not maintained regularly.
Smoke alarms shouldn’t be placed in the kitchen as cooking fats and grease can clog it up (a thermal heat alarm is recommended for these areas instead).
Thermal heat alarms need to be cleaned regularly too.
Never paint over a smoke or thermal heat alarm as this could interfere with detection.
Always aim to place smoke alarms in the middle of the room on the ceiling.
In the kitchen, place thermal heat alarms one step back from the oven and on the ceiling.
Make sure you have a Fire Escape Plan so you know what to do if a fire happens in your home.
If you have a large home, or more than one level, the CAVIUS Wireless range of smoke and thermal heat alarms provide added protection by connecting to one another (when one alarm triggers, they will all sound).
Ionisation Smoke Alarms This type of alarm works by using a small amount of radioactive material between two electrically charged plates. This material ionises the air, creating a current between the two plates, so when smoke, or other by-products of combustion enter the chamber, the current is disrupted causing the alarm to sound.
Ionisation smoke alarms are prone to false alarms, which results in people removing the batteries and thereby losing all protection. This type of alarm is also dramatically slower to respond to smouldering fires (the most common type of fire in a home environment) which can fill a home with deadly smoke long before it bursts into flames, and by responding slower it gives much less warning to occupants of the home and decreases the chances of survival. Ionisation alarms are also typically a-lot larger than photoelectric alarms.
Ionisation Smoke Alarm
So, what alarm is in my home? If you aren’t sure what type of smoke alarm you currently have in your home, usually Ionisation alarms will have a yellow radioactive sticker (as per the image below) somewhere on the alarm body, it is commonly found underneath the alarm, so you might need to remove it to check.
This is the Ionisation symbol often found on an Ionisation smoke alarm
Photoelectric smoke alarms are highly recommended by the New Zealand Fire Service, due to their effectiveness at detecting the range of fires that occur in a home.
All CAVIUS smoke alarms are photoelectric and come in an array of options, whether you are after an alarm with a 10 year long-life battery, an alarm that connects to the others in your home, or a hardwired mains powered smoke alarm, we have one to suit your needs! The CAVIUS smoke alarms are also aesthetically pleasing and not to mention small and stylish.
Your best protection in a house fire is to have a working smoke alarm, and the faster you can be alerted, the more time you have to get yourself and your family to safety. Make sure you are giving your family the best protection and have photoelectric smoke alarms installed in your home!
