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.

Why should I have a pass code for my alarm system?

A pass code with most alarm companies is optional. In general it is used for verification purposes or to verify that you are who you say you are. Let’s say you’re at the house and your home security system has a smoke detector as one of its devices (devices being anything the alarm can detect such as a smoke detector, motion detector or a entry door contact). You are cooking dinner and you burn the food enough for the smoke detector to go off. The alarm calls the central station and they in turn call the fire department.


As you’re trying to clear the smoke away from the smoke detector your phone rings and it is the central station calling to verify the alarm is valid. They ask your name and for your passcode to verify you are who you say you are and if you give them the correct information they can cancel the alarm.


You might think “well what do they do without a passcode?” In that case they would take your word for it and cancel the alarm. But let’s look a little closer at this scenario.


What if someone set the fire on purpose? Then the call came in and that person told them to cancel the fire department? A passcode would solve this problem.
Another scenario where a passcode is very useful would be in the case of a hold up.
Let’s say someone breaks into your home, the alarm goes off and the central station calls the authorities then calls the house. You answer but the person holding you up demands you tell them everything is ok. Without a pass code the central station would cancel the alarm and you would be in trouble. Now if you have a pass code, the call comes in and you are being held up. You can tell them a false pass code or that you don’t know your pass code and in either case the central station would send the authorities.


These are just a few reasons to say yes to using a passcode with your alarm system.
We at EnforcerSecuity.com require the use of a pass code with your alarm system.