Smoke Alarms - Ashburton District Council

Smoke alarms are now required in all new homes. The building code was amended in April 2003 to require that "appropriate means of detection and warning of fire must be provided within each household unit".

The new requirement does not apply to existing homes but the regulations will mandate the installation of smoke alarms when a building undergoes an alteration or change of use to become a home or when an alteration is made to an existing home that requires a building consent.

Key issues:

The position and number of alarms must be shown on the drawings. A single-storey building may only require one alarm.
Applies to all alterations to houses including a consent for a heater.
A sleepout will require an alarm. Outbuildings and ancillary buildings which by definition are not for human habitation are exempt.
The main difference from the standard smoke alarms currently sold is the requirement for a hush facility to enable the alarm to be temporarily switched off in the event of a false alarm.

Most hardware merchants have the alarms available.

The Building Industry Authority has had a number of inquiries regarding the implementation of the amendments. These guidance notes may assist but for further information please contact the BIA: Phone (04) 471 0794 Fax (04) 471 0798.

Section 44(1)(c) of the Building Act has been amended by adding, after the word “dangers”, the words “(other than a warning system for fire that is entirely within a household unit and serves only that unit)”.

Clause 7.2 of the First Schedule of the principal regulations is amended by adding the words “in an emergency”.

The First Schedule of the principal regulations is amended by revoking clause F7.3, and substituting:

Limits on application: Performance F7.3 does not apply to Outbuildings or Ancillary buildings, and

F7.3.1 A means of detection and warning must alert people to the emergency in adequate time for them to reach a safe place.

F7.3.2 Appropriate means of detection and warning for fire must be provided within each household unit.

F7.3.3 Appropriate means of warning for fire and other emergencies must be provided in buildings as necessary to satisfy the other performance requirements of this code.

The above amendments to the Building Regulations come into force on 24 April 2003.

The above amendments to the Building Act and Building Code enable the Approved Document F7 to require the installation of an automatic smoke detection and alarm system where one is not already required by Table 4.1 of C/AS1. Further it is to obviate the requirement for a compliance schedule where domestic smoke alarms are required under Approved Document F7.

Smoke alarms may be battery powered and are not required to be interconnected. In addition they shall be provided with a hush facility having a minimum duration of 60 seconds.

Smoke alarms shall have a test facility located on the smoke alarm (readily accessible to building occupants).

Smoke alarms shall be listed or approved by a recognized authority as complying with at least one of: UL 217, ULC S531, AS 3786, BS 5446 Part 1.

Smoke alarms shall be located on the escape routes on all levels within the household unit. On levels containing the sleeping spaces, the smoke alarms shall be located either:

b) Within 3.0 m of every sleeping space door. In this case the smoke alarms must be audible to sleeping occupants on the other side of the closed doors.

Smoke alarms shall be installed on or near the ceiling in accordance with AS 1670.6 and the manufacture’s instructions.

a) In-situ annual cleaning with a vacuum cleaner (no disassembly of smoke alarm).

Note that under the Approved Documents there is no intention that increases in travel distances should be allowed because domestic smoke alarms are installed. Further, alternations under section 38 and change of use under section 46 will trigger the requirement to install domestic smoke alarms.