Professional Smoke Detector Installation
You have recently built a new house, and you need to do all you can to protect it. You’ve bought a comprehensive insurance plan. You have installed security fencing and lighting. And you have carefully landscaped your house to minimise bushfire risks.
All these additional investments have sapped your finances, and you still have to install a couple of smoke detectors to complete the job. Battery-powered detectors look like a simple and inexpensive strategy, and you know it is simple to put a few on the ceiling yourself.
However, before you proceed with that idea, bear in mind that you ought to hire an electrician to install and replace your smoke detectors for these reasons.
- Australian Law Requires a Professional
Australia’s laws have strict regulations regarding the installation of smoke detectors. Although older houses (before 1997) can rely on battery-operated alarms, newer builds (after 2014) must have interconnected smoke alarms hard wired into your mains electricity supply.
As mains jobs involve serious (and possibly harmful) electrical work, you want to hire a licensed electrician to install the sensors and alarms while following the manufacturer instructions precisely. If you are not able to fulfil the regulations and laws, you might face up to $5,000 in fines for noncompliance.
- An Electrician Can Recommend Compliant Devices
Even though you can get any number of smoke detectors in stores and online, you should not install just any system which happens to catch your attention. To guarantee safety, your alarm should meet Australian Standard AS 3786-1993 and have Scientific Services Laboratory (SSL) certification.
Needless to say, you’ll find a comprehensive list of approved alarms in https://www.activfire.gov.au. However, this list can prove tedious to sort through in case you do not know what features to look for.
Many domestic and industrial electricians, nevertheless, often associate themselves with smoke detector makers, so that they are able to get good deals on alarms. When you hire professionals, your electricians are not only going to recommend a suitable device to your needs but will also pass on their savings to you.
- An Expert Knows Ideal Installation Locations
Smoke detector installation might appear direct and simple, at first. Just attach the alarm to the ceiling, turn it on, and you are ready to go.
Yet for the best results, your smoke detectors will need to sit in certain places in your home. Ideally, you should have an alarm for each bedroom, hallway and living room. And in case you’ve got several floors in your house, you require a smoke alarm in the stairs that connect the two levels.
An electrician can place your sensors so that they have a smaller likelihood of false alarms. He or she is able to keep your devices away from air conditioners, heaters and fans that would influence the alarm’s performance. And an electrician knows to avoid putting devices too close to the kitchen and bathrooms, as the steam and cooking fumes may interfere with the unit.
- You Can Group Multiple Electric Services Collectively
When you wish to save money, you might prefer to do lots of the repairs and maintenance yourself. You may unclog toilets and replace leaky faucets. You might patch up your drywall or re-glue a loose floor tile.
But bear in mind that your electrician may also give you numerous services, from updating your mains to installing garden lights to connecting your telephone and TV. And lots of business offers, discounts and rebates when you set several services together.
If you hire a professional to install new smoke detectors, you may also ask them to check security switches, set up your home computer system and replace the leaning power pole nearby. And the more services you purchase, the more you save in components, time and labour.
Do Not Wait to Hire an Electrician
Though smoke detectors and alarms look like a small, inexpensive solution, they play a substantial role in protecting your home. Instead of risking your investment on a faulty device or bad installation, speak with an electrician about adding sensors to your home.
