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Is there a difference between standard smoke detectors vs. monitored fire alarms in Long Beach?

August 08, 2022
smoke alarm detector on the ceiling

In the Long Beach smoke detector vs. monitored fire alarm debate, there’s really only one champion. Smoke detectors are a vital consideration in protecting your residence from fire, but they have some notable drawbacks. Conversely, monitored fire alarms have more ways to identify a potentially dangerous situation and may contact a monitoring team in the event of a disaster. Linking your fire alarms to a home security system also results in various additional benefits that your common smoke detectors can only wish for.

Your traditional smoke alarms in Long Beach might be inadequate

Defending against fire is a chief concern for homeowners, and smoke detectors take on an essential part in keeping your family safe. Despite that fact, smoke detectors have some shortcomings. To illustrate, they can only react to smoke, not heat. If there is a blaze starting in your residence, you would not be warned until the smoke ascends to the smoke detector. Although there are further unmistakable signs of fire -- such as a marked rise in heat -- if there's no smoke, there is no warning from your smoke detector.

What’s more, smoke detectors only beep when they detect enough smoke. When a fire begins slowly, you might not be alerted until it's too late. Some smoke detectors utilize more than one sensor, which means they will recognize smoke from both a raging fire and a more gradual burn. If they do go off, it's up to the homeowner to contact first responders after exiting the residence.

Monitored fire alarms do much more than standard smoke detectors

Even though they look about the same as traditional smoke detectors, monitored fire alarms offer more benefits. If integrated to a complete home security system, they can:

  • Detect fire with different sensor types: Comparable to a standard smoke detector, your monitored device will trigger from an active or passive fire. It will sound a high-decibel beeping if it recognizes a hazardous situation.
  • Discover fire with a sudden temperature increase: A monitored fire alarm may even activate if it senses an uncommon fluctuation in temperature. Typically, heat arrives in advance of smoke. More ways to detect a fire leads to more means to keep your family safe.
  • Warns trained monitoring agents: Fires can occur when you are at your house or not. No matter of the situation, your fire alarms will notify your monitoring agents, who will quickly call emergency services. When every moment matters, it's comforting to realize that someone is always keeping a watch of your residence.
  • Integrates with home automation: While the chief job of a fire alarm is to recognize dangerous situations and request monitoring agents, it will also connect to other automated components. For instance, a triggered alarm can prompt your system to turn on the exhaust fan to slow the spread of fire or turn on the lights so you may see the best exit out of the property.

Your monitored fire alarms are an important aspect of a fully equipped smart home

The easiest approach to maximize the functionality of your fire alarms is to connect them with a Vivint home security system. Consult with a Vivint security agent today and customize the perfect smart home for your family. Diall (562) 376-5457 or submit the form below to begin.