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What's the difference between traditional smoke detectors vs. monitored fire alarms in Cleveland?

August 08, 2022
smoke alarm detector on the ceiling

In the Cleveland smoke detector vs. monitored fire alarm debate, one alarm rises over the rest. Smoke detectors are a vital consideration in protecting your place from emergency situations, but they have a few concerning drawbacks. On the other hand, monitored fire alarms have more means to discover a fire and are able to contact your support team in the event of a disaster. Linking your fire alarms to a comprehensive smart home also brings out many other benefits that your common smoke detectors could only dream about.

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

Fire safety is a chief concern for homeowners, and smoke detectors take on a critical role in safeguarding your family. However, smoke detectors have some limitations. For example, they are only able to identify smoke, not extreme temperatures. In the event there is a blaze starting in your house, you might not be cautioned unless the smoke reaches the smoke detector. Although there are further telltale indications of fire -- like a sharp rise in heat -- if you don’t have smoke, you will fail to get a sounding of your smoke detector.

Additionally, smoke detectors only sound the alarm if they find ample smoke. When a fire begins slowly, you might not be alerted until the flames are out of control. Many smoke detectors employ dual sensors, meaning they will recognize smoke from both roaring flames and something less intense. Whenever they start beeping, it falls to the occupant to contact emergency services after they safely leave the residence.

Monitored fire alarms do much more than ordinary smoke detectors

While they have a similar appearance to regular smoke detectors, monitored fire alarms can do much more. When integrated to a complete home security installation, they are able to:

  • Identify fire with different sensor types: Like a standard smoke detector, your monitored component can trigger from an intense fire or one that has just started smoking. It will sound a high-decibel warning when it senses a hazardous situation.
  • Discover fire due to a rapid temperature increase: Your monitored fire alarm may even activate if it senses an uncommon heat surge. Frequently, heat arrives prior to smoke. More means to detect a fire equates to additional ways to keep your family safe.
  • Alerts your dedicated monitoring agents: Fires may occur whether you are on site or somewhere else. Regardless, your fire alarms will notify your monitoring team, who will quickly place a call to first responders. When every moment matters, it's great to know that someone is consistently looking out for your home.
  • Connects to home automation: Even though the chief task of a fire alarm is to identify fire and call for monitoring agents, it can also connect to other automated equipment. To illustrate, a triggered alarm could induce your system to start the exhaust fan to hinder the spread of fire or trigger lighting so you are able to see the best exit out of the property.

Your monitored fire alarms are part of a complete smart home

The best method to get the most from your fire alarms is to pair them with a Vivint home security system. Consult with a Vivint security agent today and discover the most suitable smart home for your family. Diall (216) 616-8604 or submit the form below to get started.