Who can replace a hardwired smoke detector in Ontario?

The question usually starts with a chirp. Hardwired smoke alarms run on house power with a backup battery, and after about 10 years the sensor wears out and the alarm starts chirping or flashing an end-of-life code. In a newer house in Newmarket, Aurora or Vaughan, every alarm may hit that date in the same month, because they were all installed when the house was built.

Can a handyman replace a hardwired smoke detector?

Not for pay. A hardwired alarm is connected to a 120-volt circuit, and ESA's rule is that anyone hired to do electrical work in an Ontario home must be a Licensed Electrical Contractor. That holds even for a straight swap where the old base plugs into the new one. A handyman can change the 9-volt backup battery, test the alarms or install battery-only alarms where extra ones are wanted, because none of that touches house wiring.

Can I replace a hardwired smoke detector myself?

Yes, if you own the home and live in it. ESA lets homeowners do their own electrical work, but friends, relatives and neighbours cannot do it for you, and ESA asks you to file a notification of work before you start. Call ESA or check its site to confirm what your job needs. The work itself is short: turn off the breaker for the alarm circuit, twist the old alarm off its base, unplug its wiring harness, connect the new harness and mount the new alarm.

Can I replace a hardwired smoke alarm with a battery one?

No. The Ontario Fire Code requires existing hardwired and interconnected smoke alarms to be maintained at the level of protection the building was built with, so a hardwired alarm must be replaced with a hardwired alarm. Models with a sealed 10-year backup battery are fine, as long as they are wired in. You can add battery-only alarms in places where the law does not require one, such as a bedroom.

Do I need to replace all my smoke detectors at once?

Often yes, and it is usually the sensible choice. Alarms installed together reach their 10-year replace-by date together, and interconnected alarms only talk to compatible models, usually the same brand. Swapping one alarm for another brand can break the interconnection, so when one alarm sounds, the others stay silent. Manufacturers sell adapters for some older harnesses, but check the exact model with the manufacturer rather than going by the plug's shape.

Who is responsible for smoke alarms in a rental?

The landlord. Ontario law requires a working smoke alarm on every storey and outside all sleeping areas, and the landlord must install, maintain and replace them, including hardwired ones. A tenant should tell the landlord in writing when an alarm chirps or fails, and must not disable it. A landlord replacing hardwired alarms in a rental unit needs a Licensed Electrical Contractor, because the homeowner exception only covers a home the owner lives in.

How much does it cost to have an electrician replace smoke detectors?

The labour is short, so most of the cost is the visit plus the alarms. A whole-house job where every alarm is swapped in one visit costs less per alarm than calling for one at a time. On Doyo, electrical work is done by electricians working under an ECRA/ESA Licensed Electrical Contractor licence that Doyo checks. Describe the job to the Doyo agent, including how many alarms you have and their brand, and nothing is booked until you confirm.