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Are there differences between standard smoke detectors vs. monitored fire alarms in Greenville?

August 08, 2022
smoke alarm detector on the ceiling

In the Greenville smoke detector vs. monitored fire alarm debate, it's clear that a monitored fire alarm is the preferred choice"> for your family. Smoke detectors are an important line of defense in guarding your residence from fire, but they have a few concerning limitations. On the other hand, monitored fire alarms have more ways to discover a fire and can reach out to help when disaster strikes. Pairing your fire alarms to a security system also results in many additional perks that your regular smoke detectors would only hope for.

The shortcomings of ordinary smoke alarms in [[targetlocaion]]

Protecting your home from fire is a crucial consideration, and smoke detectors play an essential part in keeping your family safe. Even so, smoke detectors have various shortcomings. To illustrate, they will only detect smoke, not high temps. If there is an emergency in your house, you may not be cautioned until the smoke ascends to the smoke detector. Although there are further significant signals of fire -- such as a marked heat increase -- if you don’t have smoke, you will fail to get a warning from your smoke detector.

In addition, smoke detectors only beep if they find enough smoke. In the event a fire begins slowly, you may not be warned until the situation is out of hand. Many smoke detectors utilize dual sensors, meaning they will detect smoke from both a blazing inferno and a more gradual burn. Whenever they sound their alarm, it's up to the homeowner to call first responders after safely leaving the property.

Monitored fire alarms offer more benefits than standard smoke detectors

While they look like standard smoke detectors, monitored fire alarms have added advantages. If linked to a total home security package, they can:

  • Identify fire with dual-sensor smoke detection: Comparable to an ordinary smoke detector, this monitored device will engage from an intense fire or one that has just started smoking. It will resonate a high-volume alarm when it senses a potential disaster.
  • Detect fire from a abrupt temperature increase: Your monitored fire alarm will also trigger if it discerns an abnormal fluctuation in temperature. Many times, heat comes before smoke. Added means to detect a fire means additional ways to keep your family safe.
  • Warns your dedicated monitoring agents: Fires may happen when you are at your house or not. No matter of the situation, your fire alarms will notify your monitoring specialists, who will rapidly place a call to emergency services. When every moment matters, it's comforting to realize that somebody is consistently keeping a watch of your home.
  • Connects to home automation: While the main job of a fire alarm is to identify dangerous situations and notify help, it will also connect to other automated devices. To illustrate, a triggered alarm can prompt your system to turn on the exhaust fan to slow the spread of fire or initiate smart light bulbs so you can see the safest path out of the property.

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

The easiest way to get the most from your fire alarms is to integrate them with a Vivint home security system. Contact a Vivint expert today and find the most suitable smart home for your needs. Call (864) 660-7126 or send in the form on this page to take the first step toward a safer property.