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Are there differences between traditional smoke detectors vs. monitored fire alarms in Jonesboro?

August 08, 2022
smoke alarm detector on the ceiling

In the Jonesboro smoke detector vs. monitored fire alarm discussion, one alarm rises above the other. Smoke detectors are an important first step in guarding your place from emergency situations, but they have a few concerning limitations. On the other hand, monitored fire alarms offer more means to detect a potentially dangerous situation and are able to contact a monitoring team when disaster strikes. Connecting your fire alarms to a comprehensive smart home also delivers many additional perks that your regular smoke detectors would only wish for.

Regular smoke alarms will only do one thing

Fire safety is important, and smoke detectors play a critical part in shielding your family. Despite that fact, smoke detectors have various shortcomings. For instance, they are only able to react to smoke, not extreme temperatures. In the event there is a fire in your house, you might not be warned before the smoke reaches the smoke detector. While there are additional unmistakable signs of fire -- including a sudden heat increase -- if there’s a lack of smoke, you won’t have a sounding of your smoke detector.

What’s more, smoke detectors only activate when they encounter ample smoke. If a fire creeps along slowly at first, you may not be warned until it's too late. Many smoke detectors use dual-sensor technology, meaning they will be able to perceive smoke from both a raging fire and something less intense. If they sound their alarm, it falls to the occupant to call first responders after they safely leave the premises.

Monitored fire alarms offer more benefits than standard smoke detectors

Although they look about the same as traditional smoke detectors, monitored fire alarms offer more benefits. If linked to a comprehensive home security package, they are able to:

  • Identify fire with different sensor types: Like a standard smoke detector, your monitored alarm will trigger from a roaring blaze or smoldering embers. It will emit a high-decibel warning whenever it senses danger.
  • Detect fire with a sudden temperature increase: A monitored fire alarm can even go off if it senses an abnormal fluctuation in temperature. Frequently, heat is noticed prior to smoke. More methods to uncover a fire leads to more ways to keep your family safe.
  • Notifies professional monitoring specialists: Fires can take place when you are at your house or not. No matter of the situation, your fire alarms will notify your monitoring specialists, who can rapidly place a call to emergency services. When seconds count, it's great to have the knowledge that someone is always looking out for your house.
  • Integrates with home automation: Although the chief purpose of a fire alarm is to recognize dangerous situations and call for monitoring agents, it may also connect to other automated components. To illustrate, a tripped alarm can induce your system to start the exhaust fan to impede the spread of fire or turn on lighting so you can see the quickest path out of the property.

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

The easiest approach to get the most from your fire alarms is to pair them with a Vivint home security system. Speak with a Vivint security agent today and discover the ideal smart home for your needs. Diall (870) 568-4128 or complete the following form to get started.