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My building consent says I have to install smoke detectors. What specifically do I require and where can I get them?
Under Sections 112 and 115 of the Building Act 2004, smoke detectors with a 'Hush' facility are required in all dwellings / residential units that require a building consent to be issued. This includes new buildings, altered buildings, or buildings changed to a residential use.
Some examples of what constitutes an alteration might be: the installation of a log burner, alterations to plumbing, fitting of a kitchen, a new deck, or altering or conversion of a building to a sleep out. Please note that a sleepout is a part of a dwelling, so the alteration of a house or a sleepout will require smoke detectors to be provided in both the house and the sleepout. Free standing non habitable buildings (i.e. garages or sheds) and site drainage do not invoke the requirement.
Most single level houses will require a minimum of one smoke detector, however it is important to think of the whole escape route, so if the hallway adjoining the bedrooms leads (via a door) through another space to the exit door, that space will require a detector as well. Two storey houses will require detectors at both levels, regardless of which level the sleeping activity is on.
All applications for consents will require complete floor layouts with room names, doorways and the smoke detectors clearly marked!
Standard smoke detectors which are already installed can remain but 'Hush' models must also be installed. A "hush”, “or double button" smoke alarm differs from older models in that they have an additional button which allows the alarm to be quietened for a period of time while the cause of an accidental triggering of the alarm is fixed (eg, burnt toast).
These detectors are available at most hardware stores.
If your dwelling has a smoke detector system wired into the mains power supply, this may be considered as an alternative on a case by case basis. However, the location of the detectors in relation to bedrooms and escape routes still must comply with the building code compliance documents.
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