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

August 08, 2022
smoke alarm detector on the ceiling

In the Mansfield smoke detector vs. monitored fire alarm discussion, it's evident that a monitored fire alarm is the preferred alternative"> for your home. Smoke detectors are an essential first step in shielding your house from emergency situations, but they have a few concerning drawbacks. Conversely, monitored fire alarms provide more ways to detect a fire and can notify help when disaster strikes. Connecting your fire alarms to a comprehensive smart home also delivers various other advantages that your ordinary smoke detectors could only wish for.

Ordinary smoke alarms will only do one thing

Protecting your home from fire is a crucial consideration, and smoke detectors take on a critical role in safeguarding your family. Even so, smoke detectors have some shortcomings. To illustrate, they are only able to react to smoke, not heat. When there is an emergency in your residence, you would not be alerted before the smoke ascends to the smoke detector. While there are further telltale indications of fire -- such as a sudden increase in warmth -- if you don’t have smoke, you will fail to get a triggered smoke detector.

What’s more, smoke detectors only beep if they encounter enough smoke. If a fire begins slowly, you might not be alerted until it's too late. Many smoke detectors utilize more than one sensor, meaning they will detect smoke from both a blazing inferno and something less intense. If they do go off, it’s required of the occupant to notify first responders after safely leaving the property.

Monitored fire alarms provide more value than standard smoke detectors

Although they look like standard smoke detectors, monitored fire alarms have added advantages. If connected to a comprehensive home security package, they will:

  • Detect fire with multi-sensor technology: Comparable to a standard smoke detector, your monitored alarm will trigger from an active or passive fire. It will sound a high-volume beeping if it senses a potential disaster.
  • Discover fire with a sudden heat surge: A monitored fire alarm will also activate if it senses an uncommon fluctuation in temperature. Frequently, heat is noticed before smoke. Added means to detect a fire means additional methods to keep your family safe.
  • Warns professional monitoring specialists: Fires will take place whether you are home or away. Either way, your fire alarms will alert your monitoring agents, who are able to quickly contact emergency services. When every tick of the clock is critical, it's great to have the knowledge that somebody is constantly keeping a watch of your residence.
  • Connects to home automation: While the primary task of a fire alarm is to detect an emergency and request monitoring agents, it may also join forces with other automated devices. For example, a triggered alarm can prompt your system to turn on the exhaust fan to impede the fire or turn on lighting so you may locate the best way out of the property.

Your monitored fire alarms are part of a complete smart home

The best approach to optimize your fire alarms is to integrate them with a Vivint home security system. Consult with a Vivint expert today and customize the most suitable smart home for your needs. Place a call to (419) 614-6093 or complete the form below to take the first step toward a safer property.