Homeowners and renters alike live in fear of house fires. In an instant, your life can turn into a crisis. Today’s technology affords us all safety and security so the whole family can rest easier knowing that the chances for a disastrous house fire are reduced.
Here are some high-tech ways in which you can decrease your fire risk:
Install Smart Smoke Detectors
Your smoke alarm going off at the most inconvenient times? It’s that old detector technology, friend! This ancient piece you have installed in your home relies on some outdated technology to detect the presence of smoke. It doesn’t mean that it’s faulty, but there are some benefits from having a smart smoke detector over the traditional models.
Smart smoke detectors alert your smartphone when smoke is detected. It’s a piece built right into your home security system. This smart detector will also alert your local fire department. In addition, a smart smoke detector can also activate your home security cameras so you can see in real-time where the fire is, and possibly, the cause of the fire.
Some new models of smart smoke detectors have carbon monoxide detectors already built-in as well. You can even silence the detector if it picks up a non-emergency — like if you’re burning some toast. It will also notify you if the battery is low. Imagine: getting an alert on your phone instead of that ear-piercing chirp!
Install Smart Batteries
It can be costly to replace all of the smoke detectors in your household — your next best option is to replace all the current smoke detector batteries with smart batteries. They are relatively inexpensive and provide your home with a better sense of security. Instead of the annoying chirping when the battery is low, the smart battery sends a notification to your smartphone. Furthermore, if one alarm goes off, the smart battery can be pre-set to trigger that other alarms with smart batteries. Connecting the alarms may not necessarily prevent a fire, but it would alert your family — no matter what room they happen to be in.
Install Smart Plugs
That feeling in the pit of your stomach when you forgot to turn off the stove or unplug the iron? Based on data from the US Fire Administration, electrical malfunction was the cause of 9.6 percent of home fires in 2016. Appliances that produce a lot of heat, or use greater amounts of power, create greater risk of fires.
Imagine being able to flip the power of your appliances off using your phone! Whether you’re on the bus, at the office, or in another room in the house, if you tend to plug and unplug potentially dangerous appliances, you won’t have to worry if you’ve remembered to turn them off. Take a look at your smartphone to see if the plug providing the power is on, and if so, you can flip it off with a touch.
Link Your Entire System Together
Connect your smart fire detectors, smart batteries, smart plugs, alarms systems, and other devices to each other creating one smart home hub. When one device sounds the alert, everything else will too. For example, if your smoke detector detects carbon monoxide in the air, it sends a signal that causes your smart lights to flash — even if you didn’t hear the alarm, the lights will alert you, and you also get a notification on your smartphone.
Making sure that your smart home system is operating in sync, you’ll need an efficient connection protocol system, like Z-Wave.
Placement of your devices throughout the home will give you a sense of security knowing that you’re reducing the risk of a fire destroying your home, but also that if there is an imminent danger of fire, you and your family are able to be notified as soon as possible. For more tips and information regarding how you can protect yourself and your home using the latest technologies, contact us and we’ll put you in touch with our electrical specialists.