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

August 08, 2022
smoke alarm detector on the ceiling

In the Pittsburgh smoke detector vs. monitored fire alarm debate, there’s only one victor. Smoke detectors are a vital line of defense in guarding your place from emergency situations, but they have several drawbacks. Alternatively, monitored fire alarms provide more methods to discover a potentially dangerous situation and may contact your support team when the unthinkable happens. Pairing your fire alarms to a comprehensive smart home also brings out many other benefits that your common smoke detectors could only dream about.

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

Defending against fire is a crucial consideration, and smoke detectors perform a vital role in safeguarding your family. Even so, smoke detectors have various limitations. To illustrate, they are only able to detect smoke, not extreme temperatures. When there is an emergency in your home, you may not be cautioned before the smoke ascends to the smoke detector. While there are further telltale signals of fire -- like a sharp heat increase -- if there's no smoke, you won’t have a warning from your smoke detector.

In addition, smoke detectors only beep if they encounter an adequate amount of smoke. When a fire starts small, you might not be alerted until the situation is out of hand. Various smoke detectors use dual-sensor technology, which means they will be able to perceive smoke from both a blazing inferno and something less intense. If they sound their alarm, it falls to the occupant to notify the fire department after they safely leave the premises.

Monitored fire alarms do much more than ordinary smoke detectors

Although they have a similar appearance to regular smoke detectors, monitored fire alarms offer more benefits. When connected to a total home security package, they can:

  • Identify fire with dual-sensor smoke detection: Comparable to an ordinary smoke detector, your monitored alarm can engage from an active or passive fire. It will emit an easily audible beeping whenever it recognizes a potential disaster.
  • Discover fire due to a rapid rise in heat: A monitored fire alarm will also go off if it notices an unusual heat surge. Many times, heat is noticed prior to smoke. More methods to uncover a fire leads to additional ways to safeguard your family.
  • Notifies trained monitoring representatives: Fires can take place when you are home or away. No matter of the situation, your fire alarms will notify your monitoring specialists, who are able to rapidly call the fire department. When seconds count, it's nice to have the knowledge that someone is consistently watching over your residence.
  • Connects to home automation: While the chief task of a fire alarm is to recognize fire and notify monitoring agents, it can also join forces with other automated devices. To illustrate, a tripped alarm might prompt your system to turn on the exhaust fan to slow the fire or trigger the lights so you can locate the best path out of the property.

Your monitored fire alarms are a key element of a complete smart home

The easiest method to optimize your fire alarms is to pair them with a Vivint home security system. Contact a Vivint security agent today and customize the ideal smart home for your needs. Diall (412) 318-9359 or submit the form below to take the first step toward a safer property.