Have you managed to take a look at your smoke detectors recently? If not, we suggest you do. The US Fire Administration (USFA) has stated that over 38% of home fire incidents happen in homes that have no smoke detectors, and if there’s a working smoke alarm, the risk of casualties is much lesser.
Where there once only used to be traditional smoke detectors, today, there are several types of smart smoke detectors being produced by various companies in the market. Even if you’re not someone who’s into building a smart home, a smart smoke detector is the one device you should consider buying.
While a traditional smoke detector depends on you having to be near to hear its alarm, a smart smoke detector will send alerts to your phone when something is wrong, even if you’re not around, as these smart devices have a remote access feature.
Most smart smoke detectors are typically hybrid devices that not only detect smoke but head and carbon monoxide (CO) as well. CO is a gas produced from combustion which is scentless but extremely deadly.
Since smart smoke detectors wirelessly connect to your home network, they’re able to send you alerts through their smartphone app. Moreover, these devices can also send low-battery warnings before the batteries eventually run out.
In other words, you’ll never have to worry about hearing those middle-of-the-night chirps ever again. Smart smoke detectors alarms can be silenced through their app when you’ve burned dinner, or so. Let’s understand why smoke detectors are much more beneficial as compared to traditional ones.
What is a Smart Smoke Detector?
A smart smoke detector is a device that has the ability to communicate with one’s home security systems when it detects the presence of smoke. By using connective technology, these smart devices are easily accessible through smartphones or tablets, allowing homeowners to be able to monitor emergencies remotely.
In fact, you’ll also receive notifications about the status of your home, control the smart smoke detector through voice commands, and these devices can interconnect with other smart home devices as well, depending on their compatibility.
Best Smart Smoke Detectors Features to Have
Be mindful that not every smoke detector offers you the same types of features, especially if you’re comparing smart smoke detectors to traditional ones. Do you go for a hardwired smoke detector or a battery-powered one?
Here are some features that you should consider when considering purchasing one of the best home smoke detectors.
Hardwired vs Battery-Powered Smoke Detectors
A smart smoke detector might have to be hardwired into your house’s power supply, whereas battery-powered smoke detectors are as simple as the name suggests – they’re powered by batteries.
When you’re thinking about which one of these smoke detectors is best for you, you need to take dependability and maintenance into consideration, as they’re the most important factors which will help you make a choice.
Battery-operated smoke detectors are rather quickly installed and can be checked at any point in time. However, they must be checked on a regular basis to ensure that they’re still operational. While hardwired smoke detectors will always have a constant source of power.
Receive Alerts in Times of Crisis
This is a vital feature that a smart smoke detector should have. It should be able to send notifications to your smartphone in case of an emergency so that you can alert the emergency services at the earliest possible time, even if you’re not around but have an access to your phone.
Interconnectability
The very best smart smoke detectors will often offer interconnectivity with a smart home assistant, and other smoke detectors in the house, Meaning, if one smoke detector were to go off, all the other smoke detectors in your house will sound as well. Interconnectibility is more often found in hardwired smoke detectors, and most traditional smoke detectors don’t offer this feature.
Stop False Alarms
Almost every smoke detector has the risk of false alarms. In fact, dust can also set off an alarm while kitchen smoke can steam can set off ionization alarms into thinking that there’s an actual fire.
Most smart smoke detectors have a silence button that allows you to turn off any false alarms, and you can further silence these false alarms through their app on your phone.
In Summary
Smart smoke detectors have a better capability of saving lives, and similar to other smart home devices, they’re becoming so much more popular. Therefore choosing a smart smoke detector rather than a traditional one, allows you to take advantage of the many features it offers.
You can further connect it to your home’s monitoring systems, and not only make your home safer but much more energy-efficient as well. Lastly, with a smart smoke detector, you can act quickly when there’s an emergency, and keep your home and loved ones safe.
