Should I add Fire or Heat detection to my home security system?

Today’s security systems are comprehensive systems capable of detecting many conditions beyond basic security. I have always said “if you want to detect it, the security industry has a way to do it” to my customers.

One of the most popular additions to a basic home security system is fire detection. Imagine coming home to a pile of rubble with all your possessions reduced to ashes. Precious valuables like family pictures and heirlooms are lost forever. And if you’re like most people, your entire life may be kept on a PC or laptop computer, in your home. What would you do if you lost all of it to a fire? It does happen…and more often than you might think.

A way to combat falling victim to the devastation of a fire is to have a monitored alarm system with fire/heat detection.

In its simplest form your security system probably has a “Fire button” on it that, when pushed, will sound the siren and if monitored will call the fire department. This basic feature is helpful if for example you are awakened by smoke in your house, pressing the button will get the fire department out and sound the siren hopefully waking anyone else up. Now let’s say you are asleep and overcome by smoke, it would be nice if your system detected the smoke and called it in for you right?

Let’s take a look at a smoke detector more closely. Your basic home smoke detector detects the presence of smoke in a room. However, this can pose a false alarm problem if you burn your food. Hopefully you don’t often forget the pizza in the oven but if you do your alarm system calls the fire department. These “false calls” waste valuable fire department resources, and can add up to hundreds of dollars of fines or expenses to you, the homeowner!

An alternative to this would be a fire/heat detector. Usually these are fixed at a certain temperature only typically reached in the case of a fire. These are immune to smoke and in general cost less than a smoke detector. They are popular in garages where smoke may be present on a regular basis. There are also “combo” units that detect both heat and smoke and are designed for areas where the only way either would be present is in the case of fire. Fire/heat detectors can be programmed in to your home security system, and can even be added to the proper wireless home security system. In this case, a real fire emergency can be detected and responded to by the monitoring station for your security system, and your home and valuables will have a fighting chance of surviving a major catastrophe!

The choice is yours when it comes to protecting your home and valuables from the ravages of a house fire. Hopefully we have offered some insight into which is right for you. Visit www.enforcersecurity.com where you can design your own system including fire detection.