Carbon Monoxide Detector Buying Guide for Adelaide Homes

Published 24 April 2026 · Written by Sidney — Licensed Gas Fitter, Pilot Gas Adelaide · 10 min read

TL;DR: Every Adelaide home with a gas heater, gas cooktop, gas hot water system or attached garage should have a CO alarm. Look for AS/NZS 4913 compliance, a 7–10 year sealed lithium battery, and a digital PPM display if you can afford one. Budget $40 for a basic unit from Bunnings, $80–$130 for a good digital one, $150+ for a smart detector. Install at eye level within 5m of bedrooms, not in kitchens or bathrooms.

Why every Adelaide home with gas needs one

G'day, Sidney here. I'll keep the scare-factor short. In the last decade, Australia has had multiple residential carbon monoxide deaths every winter — including a well-known Victorian case involving an unserviced gas heater. The pattern is always the same: no CO alarm in the house, or the alarm that was there had a flat battery or had expired.

Smoke alarms are mandatory in SA. CO alarms are not. But smoke alarms won't save you from carbon monoxide — that's not what they detect. CO is invisible, odourless, and it drops you before you realise something's wrong.

For under fifty bucks, you get a device that sits on the wall for a decade and screams loud enough to wake you from a dead sleep if CO levels hit dangerous territory. The cost-benefit on this one is about as lopsided as it gets.

If you've got any of the following, you want a CO alarm:

• A gas ducted heating system (Braemar, Brivis, Bonaire, Lennox)
• A wall furnace or space heater (Rinnai Energysaver, Vulcan, Pyrox)
• A gas log fire
• An instantaneous gas hot water unit — especially if flued internally
• A gas cooktop used heavily
• A garage attached to the house with a car that gets started inside
• An older (pre-2000) home with any of the above

For the full safety context, read our carbon monoxide and gas heater safety guide. This post is about which alarm to actually buy.

The Australian standard that matters

The number to look for on the box is AS/NZS 4913. That's the joint Australian/New Zealand Standard for residential CO alarms. It covers sensor sensitivity, alarm thresholds, response times and testing procedures.

You'll sometimes see UL 2034 (US standard) or EN 50291 (European). Both are reputable standards, and most units sold in Australia are certified to multiple standards at once. But the one you want marked on the packaging is AS/NZS 4913 — that tells you it's been tested to the Australian requirements and is legal for sale here.

Avoid anything that:

• Lists no standard at all (cheap eBay imports — skip them)
• Claims to detect CO and a dozen other gases for $20 (the sensor tech in those is unreliable)
• Is a combo "smoke + CO" without AS/NZS 4913 marking — combo units exist and are fine, but they must meet both AS 3786 (smoke) and AS/NZS 4913 (CO) separately

The types of CO detector worth knowing

Battery-powered (standalone)

Easy. Stick it on a wall, press a button, walk away. Best option for renters, or if you just want one or two coverage points. Sealed 10-year lithium batteries are the winner here — don't buy the 9V replaceable ones, you'll forget.

Hardwired

Runs off mains power with battery backup. More expensive, tidier install (no battery to worry about), but needs an electrician unless replacing a hardwired smoke alarm on the same circuit. Usually the pick for new builds or renovations.

Combo smoke + CO

One unit does both. Fewer holes in the ceiling, fewer chirps at 3am. Check for both standards on the box — AS 3786 for smoke and AS/NZS 4913 for CO.

Smart / Wi-Fi

Google Nest Protect, First Alert Onelink and similar. Alerts your phone if CO is detected — useful if you're away and a neighbour or tenant might need warning. Also tells you which alarm tripped, which beats running around the house in your dressing gown. More expensive, and needs Wi-Fi reliability.

Digital display vs basic beeper

The basic "beep on danger" alarms are fine. But a digital model that shows current PPM (parts per million) is worth the extra $30 because you can see low-level CO readings climbing before they trigger an alarm. Useful for diagnosing a dodgy heater that isn't quite at alarm level but shouldn't be producing any CO at all.

What we actually recommend (by budget)

We're not affiliated with any brand. These are models we see working well in Adelaide homes year after year.

Budget: $35–$50

Kidde 7CO / Kidde C3010D. Sealed battery, 10-year life, basic beeper, AS/NZS 4913 compliant. Available at Bunnings for around $39. Does the job. If you want minimum viable safety, this is it.

First Alert CO615. Similar price point, digital display showing current PPM, 7-year sealed battery. The CO615 is probably our top pick for "one unit for most households."

Mid-range: $80–$130

Kidde KN-COPP-3. Digital display, 10-year lithium battery, memory function showing peak CO reading. Great for a diagnostic snapshot.

First Alert Onelink (non-smart version). Premium build, digital display, dual-sensor technology to reduce false alarms.

Premium / smart: $150–$220

Google Nest Protect (2nd gen). Combo smoke + CO, Wi-Fi connected, push notifications, visual indicator (glows yellow for early warning, red for full alarm), self-tests. Around $189 at Bunnings or JB Hi-Fi. The easy pick if you already have Google Home or want phone alerts.

First Alert Onelink Smart. Similar features, ties into Apple HomeKit.

Avoid these

No-name Amazon or eBay imports at $12–$20. Replaceable 9V battery models (the battery will be flat when you need it most). Anything claiming to detect five gases at once for under $60 — the sensors are garbage.

Where to buy in Adelaide

You've got plenty of options:

• Bunnings — widest range. Mile End, Marion, Modbury, Para Hills West, Gepps Cross and Oaklands Park all carry the Kidde and First Alert lines. Best for grabbing one on a weekend.
• Mitre 10 — usually has the basic Kidde and First Alert models. Unley, Brighton and Prospect stores are reliable.
• Reece Plumbing — trade suppliers, carry some of the premium sealed-battery units. Walk-ins welcome, and you can ask questions about install spots.
• JB Hi-Fi, Officeworks, Good Guys — usually only the smart Wi-Fi models like Nest Protect.
• Online: Appliances Online, Tools Warehouse, Mitre 10 online. Check the box for AS/NZS 4913 before it arrives.

If you're booking us for a service, we can bring one along and install it while we're on site. Easier than a separate trip to Bunnings.

Where to install them

CO mixes through room air at roughly the same density as air itself. That's why CO alarms don't need to be on the ceiling like smoke alarms. They can go at eye level on the wall.

Good spots

• Hallway outside bedrooms, about 1.5m off the floor. One alarm here covers the sleeping zone of most Adelaide homes.
• Living area within 3–5m of the gas heater, but not directly above or next to it.
• At each level of a two-storey home — one upstairs, one downstairs.
• Near the door to an attached garage if cars are started inside.

Bad spots

• Kitchens — cooking fumes can trigger false alarms.
• Bathrooms — humidity kills the sensor.
• Within 30cm of corners — dead air pocket, slow response.
• Within 1m of doors, windows or ceiling fans — airflow dilutes accurate readings.
• Directly above or beside the heater — constant heat exposure shortens sensor life.
• Behind curtains, furniture or above cabinets — blocked airflow means late detection.
• Damp or dusty areas — laundries, garages without heating.

How many alarms for a typical Adelaide home?

A standard 3-bedroom single-storey home usually needs one alarm in the main hallway (sleeping zone), plus one in the main living area if the gas heater is there. Two alarms total. Bigger homes, two-storey builds, or homes with heaters in multiple rooms need more — one on each level, plus one per sleeping zone.

Maintenance and testing

CO alarms are low-maintenance, but not zero-maintenance.

• Test monthly. Press and hold the test button for a few seconds. The alarm should sound, the LED should flash. If it doesn't — replace it.
• Check for dust quarterly. Vacuum the vents with a soft brush attachment.
• Replace the unit at end of life. 10-year sealed models beep end-of-life around the 10-year mark. Don't try to "just change the battery" — the sensor degrades regardless.
• Write the install date on the back with a permanent marker when you first fit it. Makes replacement planning easy.
• Don't paint over them. Sounds obvious, happens all the time during a reno.

If your CO alarm fires during a service we're doing, we'll re-test combustion and check the flue. A working alarm that goes off isn't a false alarm — something is making CO.

What to do if the alarm sounds

If the CO alarm is sounding right now: Open doors and windows. Get everyone (and pets) outside. Ring 000 if anyone has symptoms (headache, nausea, drowsiness, confusion). Turn off the heater at the isolation valve. Don't go back inside until the house is ventilated and a licensed gas fitter has inspected the appliances.

In order:

1. Get outside. Everyone, pets too.
2. Open doors and windows on your way out.
3. Turn off gas appliances if you can do it safely and quickly — thermostat off, then the isolation valve on the heater.
4. Ring 000 if anyone has symptoms. Tell them suspected CO.
5. Ring the gas emergency line 1800 427 532 if you also smell gas or the alarm stays on after ventilation.
6. Don't re-enter until the house has ventilated for at least 30 minutes and a gas fitter has inspected the source.
7. Ring a licensed gas fitter for combustion testing and flue inspection. We run emergency response — see our emergency repair page.

Common non-emergency reasons an alarm might sound: end-of-life chirp (single beep every 30–60 seconds, not a full alarm), low battery warning on replaceable models, or the test button was accidentally pressed. A full sustained alarm is never "probably nothing."

For more on how gas heaters can produce CO in the first place, and how a proper service prevents it, see our service frequency guide and the SA Department for Energy and Mining gas safety page.

FAQ

Do I need a CO detector if my heater is new?

Yes. Even new, well-installed heaters can develop faults over their lifetime. A CO alarm is a backstop — it costs $40 and lasts a decade. There's no downside.

Will a CO alarm detect a natural gas leak?

No. CO alarms only detect carbon monoxide. For natural gas leaks (which smell like rotten eggs due to the added odorant), your nose is your primary detector. If you want a natural gas leak detector too, they exist, but they're a separate device.

What PPM level is dangerous?

Continuous exposure above 35 ppm starts to affect healthy adults. 70 ppm causes headaches within 2–3 hours. 150 ppm can cause disorientation within 2 hours. 400+ ppm is life-threatening fast. A good digital alarm shows you numbers before you hit trouble.

Can I move my CO detector when I change rooms?

Yes, but don't rely on a portable alarm as your only protection. Fixed-installation alarms in the right spots give consistent coverage. Moving one around is better than nothing, but not the goal.

Does home insurance require a CO alarm?

Not in SA as of 2026. Some insurers may ask during claims assessment. It's cheap insurance on top of your house insurance regardless.