What is the first thing you think of when someone mentions home security? If you are like most people, you probably think about burglary protection. You think about things like video cameras and alarm systems. But what about fire and smoke?
It’s safe to assume that most of us have at least one smoke alarm in our homes. Cities, counties, and states have seen to that through building codes that require smoke alarms in most residential buildings. But for many of us, there is a distinction between home security and protecting against the dangers of residential fires.
It shouldn’t be that way. Fire and smoke are serious threats. They might even be more serious than burglary and home invasion. Why? Because fire and smoke kill. What’s worse is the fact that they can kill without their victims ever knowing what’s happening.
The Residential Fire Problem
Recent data cited by Safe Home provide a glimpse of how serious the residential fire problem is in the U.S. Take a look at these four statistics from their 2024 report:
- A residential fire occurs in this country every 53 minutes.
- A fire-related death occurs every 3 hours and 14 minutes.
- Smoke alarms of all types reduce the residential fire death rate by 30%.
- Hard wired smoke alarms reduce the death rate by 71%.
It’s clear from this data that residential fires harm a lot of people. It’s also clear that smoke alarms are one of the best defenses against fire-related injuries and deaths. Anyone interested in improving home security should take a good look at smoke alarms in the home.
Standalone and Integrated Alarms
In addition to different makes and models, homeowners have two big choices when selecting smoke alarms. They can choose standalone devices or smoke alarms that integrate with home security systems. Let’s look at both in a little more detail.
1. Standalone Smoke Alarms
A standalone smoke alarm operates independently of any other device. The most common form of a standalone alarm is an electronic device that runs on battery power and makes a lot of noise when activated. If you have a single smoke alarm in your house, it is probably this particular type.
Standalone smoke alarms can also be wired to a home’s electrical system and supported by battery backup. I have two such alarms in my home. They are connected to one another, so both will sound simultaneously even if smoke in the kitchen initially triggers only the kitchen alarm.
2. Integrated Smoke Alarms
Integrated smoke alarms are devices that integrate with home security systems. Vivint Home Security is just one of the best home security provider that sells integrated devices. Because the smoke alarms are part of a more comprehensive security system, they can be monitored just like a home’s security cameras, window and door sensors, etc.
The main advantage here is that paying for professional security adds an extra layer of protection. With a standalone alarm, you get a noise making device that can alert you to get out of your house in the event of a fire. But if no one is home, the benefits of a standalone alarm are limited.
An integrated alarm is monitored even when your home isn’t occupied. If a fire breaks out, monitoring personnel can contact the fire department in short order. A faster response time could make the difference in saving your home.
There is more to this topic than I can cover here. Let me close by saying this: smoke alarms should be part of every homeowner’s security strategy. It’s as simple as that.
