Whether you’re a homeowner, a landlord, or a developer, one thing remains the same: smoke alarms are vital to your property’s safety. Properly installing and maintaining smoke alarms ensures they can do their jobs, detecting fires early and allowing inhabitants the time they need to escape should the worst happen.
Since these alarms play such a pivotal role, the New Zealand government has Building Codes that pertain to the installation, maintenance, and use of smoke alarms in NZ. In this post, we’ll explore a recent amendment made to these Codes regarding the use of photoelectric smoke alarms and what the changes might mean for you.
What are photoelectric smoke alarms?
Photoelectric smoke alarms are the latest iteration of smoke alarms used in modern buildings. Each alarm contains a light source and a sensor that picks up changes in the pattern of the light caused by smoke particles in the air. Because they pick up on particles using light, this makes these alarms particularly good at picking up smouldering fires where other alarms might miss them.
Apart from meeting the regulatory requirements we’ll outline next; there are a few additional benefits to choosing photoelectric smoke alarms over other varieties:
- Early Detection. When it comes to fire, the earlier you find it, the better. Thanks to their technology, photoelectric alarms are excellent at detecting slow-burning fires, thus providing you with enough of a warning to evacuate.
- Reduced False Alarms. No more being awoken by a screeching alarm and panicked pulse at 2 am. Photoelectric alarms are designed to minimise false alarms caused by steam or other fumes, improving the overall reliability of your alarms.
Photoelectric Smoke Alarms and the NZ Building Code
Very recently, there was an amendment to the Building Code’s Acceptable Solutions for Protection from Fire (C/AS1 and C/AS2). This amendment stated that interconnected smoke alarms should be the ongoing standard for newly-built homes or substantial renovations.
As the amendment passed in November of 2023, all affected developers, landlords, and homeowners have until November 2024 to bring their living spaces into compliance. Below, we’ve summarised some key factors of the amendment for your convenience and recommended a corresponding solution.
Long-Life Power
Smoke alarms are vitally important to everyone’s safety, so they must always be operational. Therefore, the NZ Building Code states that all installed smoke alarms must either have a 10-year long-life battery that cannot be removed or be connected to mains power.
The CAVIUS range features both options. From 10-year-powered photoelectric smoke alarms to mains-powered alarms, we have everything you need to remain compliant.
Interconnectedness is Key
One of the most interesting updates to the Code is that all smoke alarms must be interconnected. In other words, if one alarm goes off, all the alarms in the house or building go off. This ensures that even if a fire has begun in a remote part of the building, all residents will hear the alarm and evacuate as quickly as possible.
The smoke alarms can either be hard-wired or use wireless interconnection as long as they are in sync and regularly tested. Luckily, the CAVIUS range includes the Wireless Family Relay Switch, connecting your photoelectric smoke alarms to auxiliary devices that can trigger alongside the main alarm. With room for additional sounders, strobe lights, sprinklers, or even air conditioning shutdown protocols, this is the ultimate safety relay switch to have in place.
Living Spaces Take Precedence
According to the Building Code, photoelectric smoke alarms in NZ must be located in all bedrooms, living spaces, hallways, and landings within a given building. In multi-level households, there has to be at least one smoke alarm on each level.
As shown in this code, living areas and common dwelling zones take precedence over other areas of the home, such as the bathroom or laundry areas. Unfortunately, many modern smoke alarms still have outdated or clunky appearances, making them unsightly when included in every living space.
The CAVIUS range of photoelectric smoke alarms is the smallest in the world and is designed to be recessed. This ensures they are as unobtrusive as possible, blending seamlessly into your living spaces while still getting their jobs done.
Testing Capability is Needed
Finally, as with all smoke alarms that have come before, alarms still need to have a test and hush switch. This allows residents or professionals to regularly test their alarms and replace them as needed. After all, we don’t want an alarm to fail at the worst possible moment.
CAVIUS photoelectric smoke alarms recess into walls and ceilings for optimal function. Thanks to their discreet design, the entire alarm is a test and hush button, rather than having one sit on top of the alarm. This improves their visual impact while ensuring your alarms stay in working order.
Staying compliant has never been easier than with the CAVIUS range of photoelectric smoke alarms. This new amendment ensures all residents of modern buildings will be safe from the threat of fire, emphasising early detection and long-term reliability.
Stay compliant with New Zealand’s leading photoelectric smoke alarm experts.
Talk to the CAVIUS team about sourcing and installing the right smoke alarms for you. With years of experience under our belt and a wide range of fire safety solutions, we’re ready to help you bring your building up to scratch without the hassle.
When it comes to small things that make a big difference in home safety, there are two things that really stand out: the smoke alarm and the carbon monoxide alarm. But here’s a question: are they the same thing?
Short answer? No. But there’s a lot more to it.
Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms are two of the most common household safety measures you’ll see in a modern Kiwi home. While they are vital for protecting our homes and loved ones, it’s also essential to understand that these have very different functions. Having both devices in your home is crucial; in this blog post, we’ll review why that is.
Read on as we explore the distinctions between carbon monoxide and smoke alarms, their unique functions, and why they should function as a duo, not solo acts.
What is a Carbon Monoxide Alarm?
First up, let’s tackle the lesser-known of these two devices: the carbon monoxide alarm.
Carbon monoxide can be a scary thing to deal with. It’s an invisible gas with no smell or taste, usually produced when gas, oil, wood, and coal combust but don’t finish the combustion process. Unfortunately, this gas is known as a ‘silent killer’ for a very good reason.
Carbon monoxide can build up in sealed spaces, eventually posing a major threat to human health. When inhaled, the gas molecules bind to haemoglobin in the blood, preventing your blood from carrying oxygen around the body. Eventually, this leads to suffocation and, in many cases, is fatal. Its chemical composition makes carbon monoxide almost impossible to detect without specialised equipment.
This is where a carbon monoxide alarm comes in. Designed to monitor the air for the presence of CO gas, these monitors will emit a loud warning signal to alert occupants to a build-up of the gas. This allows you time to leave the area quickly without succumbing to the harmful effects of CO. You can have alarms that tie into the main source of power, and there are battery-operated carbon monoxide alarms as well.
Common sources of carbon monoxide can include malfunctioning gas appliances, blocked chimneys, or running vehicles in enclosed spaces. If you have an internal garage, a fireplace, or run any gas-based appliances in your home, having one of these detectors is especially important.
What is a Smoke Alarm?
On the other hand, smoke alarms are more well-known. As suggested by its name, a smoke alarm is designed to detect the presence of smoke, which can indicate the possibility of a fire nearby. Alarms like these have built-in photoelectric or ionisation sensors to detect smoke particles in the air. If the sensor is tripped, the alarm emits a loud noise to let residents know there is a fire potentially in progress and to evacuate as soon as possible.
Smoke alarms play a major role in early fire detection. The earlier a fire is found, the quicker it can be fought, and the faster occupants can evacuate without getting in harm’s way. A smoke alarm is a must-have to reduce the risk of injuries, fatalities, or undetected fires sprouting up at home.
Thermal heat alarms can act as a supplement to photoelectric smoke alarms. Occasionally, smoke alarms will be tripped by other vapours in the air, as their sensors are designed to pick up on particles like this and alert occupants. Installing a thermal alarm alongside your smoke alarms ensures you’re doubly aware of when a real fire is breaking out versus when steam is coming from your kettle.
Why Having Both Alarms in Your Home is Essential
With two alarms serving such different functions, why is having both in your home important? Aside from their core functions, these two alarm types also generally use different technologies to detect their respective gasses.
CO alarms use electrochemical sensors to look for CO in the air, while smoke alarms usually use photoelectric or ionisation sensors to pick up smoke particles.
The point of having both in your home is to cover any overlap. Fires can produce carbon monoxide, and – as they say – ‘where there’s smoke, there’s fire’ – and that’s what your smoke alarms will catch – but they aren’t designed to trip for anything else. A carbon monoxide alarm may not pick up on a fire with no smoke, and a smoke alarm alone won’t pick up on a carbon monoxide leak.
Luckily, hosting both devices in your home unobtrusively is easy while keeping your family safe. To ensure you’re properly protected against the visible threat of fire and the invisible threat of carbon monoxide, it’s vital to always have both alarms in your home.
Keep them functional with regular maintenance, testing, and battery replacements, as warranted. With alarms like these, creating a safe environment for you and your loved ones has never been easier.
Choose the world’s smallest, most effective carbon monoxide alarm.
At CAVIUS, we embrace the idea that safety can look beautiful with our range of discreet alarms. Our range spans everything from thermal heat alarms to carbon monoxide alarms in NZ.
Enjoy award-winning designs that embrace both form and function. Get in touch to learn more.
The RTA
The Residential Tenancies Act (RTA) has tightened up its rules and regulations to ensure the safety of tenants throughout New Zealand – an imperative move considering 89% of fatal domestic fires occur in rental properties in NZ. As part of the RTA, from the 1st of July 2016 all residential rental properties are required to have long-life, photoelectric smoke alarms installed. These alarms must last for a minimum of 8 years or be a hard-wired system. Existing smoke alarms do not need to be replaced immediately as long as they are working. When they stop working or pass the manufacturer’s expiry or recommended replacement date, they must be replaced with long-life photoelectric alarms or a hard-wired smoke alarm system as above. Not complying with standards can have significant penalties for landlords.
CAVIUS provides a small 10 year, long-life photoelectric smoke alarm which meets all NZ building compliance standards.
For a more comprehensive outline of smoke alarms and the RTA visit tenancy.govt.nz
Landlord and tenant responsibilities
Both landlords and tenants have responsibilities to keep smoke alarms working.
Landlords must make sure smoke alarms are always in good working order and are working at the start of each new tenancy, including having working batteries. Failure to comply with these standards could result in a $4000 fine for the landlord.
Tenants must replace expired batteries during the tenancy, if there are older-style smoke alarms with replaceable batteries. If a tenant tampers with a smoke alarm or fails to replace batteries (in older models) they can be fined $3000.
Why photoelectric?
As well as being part of the RTA, photoelectric alarms are also recommended by the NZ Fire service. This is due to the advanced level of technology within a photoelectric alarm which detects both stages of fires faster. Photoelectric alarms use a light sensor, which when obstructed by smoke, will sound the alarm. Ionisation is another type of smoke alarm technology which has been banned altogether in many Australian states
Protecting your home
For the comprehensive protection of your home or rental property, CAVIUS recommends the use of both smoke alarms and thermal heat alarms. Place smoke alarms in every bedroom, hallway and lounge. For the garage, laundry, kitchen, and workshop (where fast, flaming fires are more likely to start), thermal heat alarms are recommended.
landlords, NZ building compliance, NZ smoke alarms, NZ tenant, photoelectric, rental properties, Residential Tenancies Act, RTA
