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

August 08, 2022
smoke alarm detector on the ceiling

In the Portland smoke detector vs. monitored fire alarm debate, it's obvious that a monitored fire alarm is the superior alternative"> for your home. Smoke detectors are an important line of defense in protecting your house from a dangerous blaze, but they have several drawbacks. Alternatively, monitored fire alarms offer more means to discover a potentially dangerous situation and may reach out to your support team in the event of a disaster. Pairing your fire alarms to a security system also results in other advantages that your ordinary smoke detectors could only hope for.

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

Fire safety is a chief concern for homeowners, and smoke detectors play a vital part in shielding your family. However, smoke detectors have some drawbacks. To illustrate, they are only able to identify smoke, not high temps. If there is a fire in your home, you would not be warned unless the smoke reaches the smoke detector. Even though there are further unmistakable signals of fire -- including a sharp heat increase -- if there's no smoke, there is no warning from your smoke detector.

In addition, smoke detectors only sound the alarm when they find ample smoke. When a fire starts small, you might not be cautioned until the situation is out of hand. Various smoke detectors utilize more than one sensor, which means they will recognize smoke from both roaring flames and smoldering remnants. Then when they start beeping, it’s required of the resident to call first responders after exiting the residence.

Monitored fire alarms offer more benefits than standard smoke detectors

Although they have a similar appearance to regular smoke detectors, monitored fire alarms can do much more. If linked to a comprehensive home security system, they can:

  • Identify fire with multi-sensor technology: Like a traditional smoke detector, this monitored alarm can activate from a roaring blaze or smoldering embers. It will sound a high-decibel warning if it perceives a potential disaster.
  • Identify fire from a rapid rise in heat: Your monitored fire alarm may even activate if it senses an unusual heat surge. Frequently, heat arrives before smoke. Having additional methods to uncover a fire means more ways to safeguard your family.
  • Notifies your dedicated monitoring agents: Fires can happen whether you are at your house or not. Regardless, your fire alarms will notify your monitoring agents, who are able to swiftly contact the fire department. When every tick of the clock is critical, it's nice to realize that somebody is constantly watching over your home.
  • Connects to home automation: While the chief job of a fire alarm is to recognize dangerous situations and notify help, it can also integrate with other automated components. For example, a tripped alarm might prompt your system to engage the exhaust fan to impede the fire or initiate lighting so you may find the quickest way out of the house.

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

The easiest approach to maximize the functionality of your fire alarms is to integrate them with a Vivint home security system. Contact a Vivint specialist today and customize the ideal smart home for your requirements. Call (503) 213-9485 or complete the form below to take the first step toward a safer property.