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What's the difference between regular smoke detectors vs. monitored fire alarms in Columbia?

August 08, 2022
smoke alarm detector on the ceiling

In the Columbia smoke detector vs. monitored fire alarm argument, one alarm rises over the other. Smoke detectors are an important consideration in shielding your house from emergency situations, but they have some notable drawbacks. Conversely, monitored fire alarms have more ways to discover an emergency and can notify help when disaster strikes. Linking your fire alarms to a security system also delivers various other perks that your ordinary smoke detectors could only hope for.

Your traditional smoke alarms in Columbia could be inadequate

Fire safety is a chief concern for homeowners, and smoke detectors take on a vital part in shielding your family. Despite that fact, smoke detectors have their drawbacks. To illustrate, they are only able to react to smoke, not extreme temperatures. If there is a blaze starting in your home, you might not be warned unless the smoke reaches the smoke detector. Although there are further unmistakable signs of fire -- including a sudden heat increase -- if you don’t have smoke, you won’t have a triggered smoke detector.

In addition, smoke detectors only beep if they find enough smoke. In the event a fire begins slowly, you might not be alerted until it's too late. Some smoke detectors employ more than one sensor, meaning they will be able to perceive smoke from both a blazing inferno and smoldering remnants. If they start beeping, it falls to the resident to contact emergency services after exiting the property.

Monitored fire alarms provide more value than ordinary smoke detectors

While they look like traditional smoke detectors, monitored fire alarms can do much more. If linked to a complete home security package, they can:

  • Detect fire with multi-sensor technology: Similar to an ordinary smoke detector, this monitored device can trigger from an active or passive fire. It will resonate an easily audible warning whenever it senses a hazardous situation.
  • Discover fire due to a rapid temperature increase: A monitored fire alarm will even go off if it discerns an uncommon heat surge. Many times, heat is noticed before smoke. Added means to identify a fire leads to more methods to keep your family safe.
  • Alerts professional monitoring specialists: Fires will occur whether you are at your house or not. Regardless, your fire alarms will notify your monitoring specialists, who are able to swiftly contact first responders. When every moment matters, it's nice to have the knowledge that someone is consistently watching over your home.
  • Connects to home automation: While the main purpose of a fire alarm is to identify fire and call for help, it will also connect to other automated devices. To illustrate, a tripped alarm could induce your system to start the exhaust fan to impede the fire or trigger lighting so you may find the safest path out of the property.

Your monitored fire alarms are a key element of a fully equipped smart home

The easiest method to get the most from your fire alarms is to connect them with a Vivint home security system. Consult with a Vivint specialist today and customize the most suitable smart home for your family. Diall (803) 921-0946 or submit the form below to begin.