01
Photoelectric
Required alarms must use photoelectric sensing, comply with AS 3786–2014 and not contain an ionisation sensor.
Queensland Smoke Alarm Upgrades
Get your home ready before 1 January 2027.
All remaining Queensland domestic dwellings need compliant interconnected photoelectric smoke alarms by 1 January 2027. AESS can assess the alarms you already have, identify what needs to change, install or replace hardwired alarms, and fault-find systems that are already giving you grief.
What compliance looks like
More than one alarm in the hallway.
The Queensland requirements are designed so occupants receive an early warning wherever a fire starts. Required alarms must be photoelectric, interconnected and correctly located throughout the dwelling.
02
Interconnected
When one required smoke alarm detects smoke and sounds, every other required alarm in the dwelling must also sound.
03
Correctly located
Alarms are required in every bedroom, in the connecting hallway or equivalent area, and on every storey of the home.
Where alarms go
Bedrooms, hallways and every level.
For most homes, the starting point is straightforward. The final layout still has to account for room arrangement and installation clearances, so AESS checks the dwelling rather than simply counting bedrooms over the phone.
✓
Every bedroom
A required smoke alarm is installed in each bedroom.
A required smoke alarm is installed in each bedroom.
✓
Connecting hallways
Hallways connecting bedrooms with the rest of the dwelling need a required alarm.
Hallways connecting bedrooms with the rest of the dwelling need a required alarm.
✓
Every storey
If a storey has no bedrooms, an alarm is required in the likely path of travel to exit.
If a storey has no bedrooms, an alarm is required in the likely path of travel to exit.
✓
Suitable ceiling position
Clearances from corners, lights, air-conditioning outlets and ceiling fans also matter.
Clearances from corners, lights, air-conditioning outlets and ceiling fans also matter.
What AESS does
Installation is only one part of it.
AESS has extensive practical experience with interconnected smoke alarm systems through years of rental-property upgrades, ongoing service work and fault finding. We deal with both new compliance upgrades and the strange faults that appear after a system has been in service for a while.
A
Compliance upgrades
Assess the existing home, work out the required alarm layout, retain suitable equipment where appropriate and install the additional or replacement alarms needed.
B
Hardwired replacements
Replace ageing, failed or non-compliant hardwired alarms and check the associated supply and interconnection as part of the work.
C
Fault finding
Investigate nuisance alarms, failed interconnection, power issues, damaged bases, ageing alarms and systems that simply refuse to behave normally.
Existing systems
Already compliant on paper, but the alarms keep going off?
Interconnected systems are excellent when they are working properly. When they are not, random activations, one alarm failing to communicate, damaged fittings or an ageing unit can be frustrating to diagnose.
Practical experience matters.
AESS has installed and serviced smoke alarm systems for many years, including ongoing work associated with Red Smoke Alarms systems. That means we see more than just new installations — we also see the oddball faults.
AESS has installed and serviced smoke alarm systems for many years, including ongoing work associated with Red Smoke Alarms systems. That means we see more than just new installations — we also see the oddball faults.
Random or nuisance activationsWe can inspect alarm condition, location and the broader interconnected system rather than simply silencing the symptom.
One alarm not joining the othersInterconnection faults can involve the alarm, its base, wiring or wireless communication depending on the system installed.
Alarm expired or physically damagedSmoke alarms have service-life requirements. We can identify ageing units and replace hardwired equipment correctly.
Existing hardwired system needs expandingWhere extra alarms are required for bedrooms or storeys, we can assess how best to integrate them with the existing installation.
Homeowners & property managers
One-off upgrades or ongoing property support.
We work with owner-occupiers, landlords and property managers. For managed properties, smoke alarms also sit within the bigger maintenance picture — electrical faults, urgent call-outs, access coordination and keeping the owner informed.
Owner-occupied homes
If your home has not yet been upgraded for the 2027 requirements, send us the address and a rough bedroom/storey count. We can organise an assessment and quote the appropriate system.
Get my home ready for 2027 →Property managers & portfolios
AESS can support smoke alarm faults alongside broader electrical maintenance, giving property managers a practical local electrical contact rather than treating each alarm issue in isolation.
Property management enquiry →
ToowoombaLockyer ValleyGattonDalbyIpswichSurrounding areas
Common questions
Queensland smoke alarm FAQs.
Does the 1 January 2027 deadline apply to my owner-occupied home?
Yes, if it is a Queensland domestic dwelling that has not already been required to comply under an earlier stage. The final stage brings the remaining domestic dwellings into the interconnected photoelectric requirements from 1 January 2027.
What if I am selling or renting the property?
Homes being sold or leased have already been subject to the upgraded smoke alarm requirements since 1 January 2022. If you are preparing a property for sale or tenancy, compliance should be dealt with now rather than waiting for 2027.
Do all smoke alarms have to be the same brand?
The legal focus is on compliant alarms and effective interconnection. In practice, compatibility matters when expanding or repairing an existing system, so AESS identifies what is already installed before recommending how the system should be extended or replaced.
Can I use 10-year battery alarms?
Queensland permits compliant non-removable 10-year battery alarms in relevant installations. However, where an existing smoke alarm is hardwired, its replacement must also be hardwired. Any mains-connected electrical work must be carried out by a licensed electrician.
How old can a smoke alarm be?
Queensland requirements include alarm-age provisions. If an alarm is more than 10 years old, or no longer operates correctly, it should not simply be left in service as part of the compliant system.
Can AESS fault-find alarms that another company installed?
Yes. We regularly investigate existing interconnected systems. The exact repair depends on the alarm type, age, interconnection method and what we find on site.
Legislative information on this page is based on current Queensland Government and Queensland Fire Department guidance. For the government requirements, see Queensland Government smoke alarm information and Queensland Fire Department smoke alarm reforms.
Beat the deadline
Don’t leave the whole state until December.
If you still need to upgrade your owner-occupied home, send us the property address and a few basic details now. We can assess what you already have and quote what is actually required.