You don’t have to be a big techie to have used smart home devices like Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, smart thermostats, or Apple HomeKit. These make life easier in many ways, but did you know smart devices can also keep you safe from a fire? Smart smoke detectors do more than just make a loud noise when there's smoke; they can send messages to your phone to let you know something's wrong, even when you're not at home.
In this article, we'll talk about why having a smart smoke detector is important for keeping your home and loved ones safe from house fires. We will go over the best places to put these alarms and the cool features that make smart smoke detectors better than old-fashioned ones.
Read on to learn how a smart smoke detector can help keep your home and family safe, and why getting one is a smart choice for fire safety.
Why you need a smart smoke detector
Home fires large and small can be devastating. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), home fires cause $7.2 billion in U.S. property damage, three-quarters of civilian fire deaths, and over 11,000 injuries each year. No matter how diligently you follow home fire safety best practices and prevention measures, you may not be able to stop a home fire from happening.
What you can do, though, is detect a fire before it spreads—and the best way to do that is with a smart smoke detector.
How smart smoke detectors work
Despite your best efforts, a fire disaster may still strike. Vivint has you covered with our combination Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detector. This battery-powered, Wi-Fi-enabled smoke detector and CO alarm is fast, accurate, and does more than your average smoke alarm. Since it connects to your home’s Wi-Fi network, it can not only ring alarm bells in the event of a fire, but also send real-time notifications to your iPhone, Android, or other smartphone. It’s also capable of detecting a fire faster than other detectors.
Its photoelectric sensors detect excessive heat as well as smoke meaning you are alerted about undetected fires before you smell any smoke. Basic smoke alarms, on the other hand, use ionization sensors, which can take longer to identify smoldering fires. Vivint’s Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detector also doubles as a carbon monoxide alarm, offering the added benefit of detecting deadly, odorless carbon monoxide for even more protection.
Plus, your Vivint system’s automation features include shutting down your home’s HVAC system anytime a smoke alarm is triggered to prevent fast-burning flames from spreading. The Vivint Smoke and CO Detector continues to work and communicate with Vivint during power outages and can interconnect with your home’s existing smart systems.
Where to place smart smoke detectors in your home
A smart smoke detector gives you the first alert to any signs of a fire, giving you and local authorities a heads up in time to stop it in its tracks. It's important to put them in the right places so they can do their job well. In this section, we'll show you the best places to install them throughout your home.
On every level of your home
Don’t forget about basements and attics, which should also have smoke detectors. Even in these less-often-used spaces, interconnected alarms are a boon, sounding the alert house-wide to a potential fire. Position the detectors in places free of drafts and extreme temperatures to minimize false alarms while maximizing their fire detection capability.
In the living room
The living room is often home to a variety of electronics, heating devices, or perhaps a fireplace. While these elements make the space comfy and entertaining, they also introduce potential fire hazards, making a smoke detector essential here. Position it in a way that covers the entire room, and away from fireplaces or heating devices to prevent false alarms.
Inside bedrooms
Having smoke detectors in bedrooms is crucial when alerting sleeping occupants to a fire. Because smoke rises, place detectors on ceilings or high on walls. Be sure to put one in every bedroom to ensure everyone gets an early warning, granting precious seconds to respond if there’s a fire.
Hallways
Hallways outside sleeping areas are also strategic smoke detector points, as they can detect smoke as it threatens to travel from one room to another. Interconnected safety alarms are a plus, as they make sure that an alert in one section of the home gets communicated throughout, ramping up safety.
Stairways
These transit points within your home could either be a safe exit route or a dangerous trap in the event of a home fire. Having a smoke detector near the top of a staircase can provide early warnings, as smoke rises and collects at higher points first. This way, you’ll be alerted in time to evacuate safely before stairways become engulfed in smoke or fire.
Garages
Many garages store flammable liquids and other fire-prone items, which is why placing a smoke detector near the interior door leading to the garage is a wise choice. Vivint’s combination Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detector is the best choice for this location in particular, since it detects carbon monoxide that can come from car exhaust (among other sources).
In or near the kitchen
Cooking is the number one cause of home fires. Fires that start in the kitchen can spread quickly to other parts of your home, resulting in devastating property and personal loss. So, be sure to put a smoke alarm in your kitchen so you can detect and respond to a fire before it spreads to other parts of your home.
