One of the best decisions to promote safety in your home is buying and installing a smart smoke detector. Fire outbreaks can occur suddenly; you can stay in one room while something wrong is happening in the next room. However, you can rely on smart smoke detectors to keep watch and raise the alarm if there is any indication of fire in your home.
What is a Smart Smoke Detector?
Smart smoke detectors are technically upgrades of the regular smoke detectors we know. While they have similar functions like your old smoke detectors, it gets better. Your smart smoke detectors can send you real-time alerts and warnings when there is any indication of fire. These alerts are received on your smartphone or laptops.
Smart smoke detectors are necessary for homes where the occupants spend long hours away from the residence working or handling other business. It gives you peace of mind knowing the chance of a fire incident is remarkably lower, even if you are miles away.
How do smart smoke detectors work?
A conventional smart smoke detector is equipped with sensors that can detect the presence of smoke or gas leaks such as carbon monoxide (which is a very poisonous gas) in your home or offices. Basically, the sensors are similar to the versions you can find on the regular smoke detectors; they are still effective; however, the added alert features make this smart device stand out.
Smart smoke detectors are also gaining popularity because it is easy to install them in smart homes. They are compatible with the operating systems on smartphones or laptops. These smart devices can also be controlled by mobile apps and virtual assistants such as Alexa or Siri. They connect to the internet via Wi-Fi or an internet dongle.
This is how they work; when smart smoke detectors are activated in a room, the inbuilt sensors are set to detect traces of smoke or dangerous gases that can be harmful to you or your family. The smart smoke detector can alert you of danger in different ways.
They usually feature a ‘cool looking’ LED ring on the panel; this ring glows in different colors depending on the conditions in the room. For example, in most smart smoke detectors, the LED ring will display a green or blue color when your room is safe for everyone. However, if smoke or dangerous gas is detected, the display color of the ring turns red or deep orange.
Some smart smoke detectors have also been designed to display a different color when smoke or dangerous gases such as carbon monoxide are detected. This means you may see a red LED ring display for smoke and amber for gases.
In addition to the LED ring display, you will also be notified by your smart smoke detector when smoke or gas is detected. This alert comes as text messages or emails on your phone. Some mobile apps for smart smoke detectors will cause your phone to ring out loud, the way it does when you have a phone call.
You can immediately alert emergency services to come for an inspection or to put out a fire before more damage is done.
Reliability of smart smoke detectors
The inventors of these smart smoke detectors have extensively researched ways it can add value to all users. Many brands of smart smoke detectors have features that allow them to monitor their batteries. This means if there is an electrical fault that limits power supply or a faulty battery you will be alerted immediately.
This feature was added to help people ensure their smart smoke detectors are working. It is easy to forget about monitoring them, if the batteries run down or a fault disconnects the device from power, you may not notice until it is too late. So it helps to get alerts that tell you the device is powered and functional.
Check out these awesome features that will make you want to get your smart smoke detectors;
Smart sensitivity settings
The smart smoke detector can be adapted in many ways to suit your lifestyle. You can adjust the settings accordingly. There are smart smoke detectors that can send you alerts based on the severity of the situation. For example, if a fire outbreak is rapidly spreading, you will be notified of the threat and how quickly you must act to save property.
These smart gadgets can also notify you of the extent to which a room has been polluted with poisonous gas. With this information, you can calculate how quickly an evacuation must be done and act accordingly.
Weather alerts
Some brands of smart smoke detectors can send you weather alerts. If there is a storm coming, you can make necessary arrangements to prevent an electrical fire by checking to ensure your circuit breakers and surge protectors are working perfectly.
Smart controls
You can control and customize your smart smoke detector without expert knowledge of a technician. These gadgets are easy to use, smart assistants such as Alexa or Siri also offer you a wide range of customizable options and creating schedules such as setting your smart smoke detector to be fully functional during a period you will be away from home.
If you would not like to have it turned on at all times, the smart smoke detector can be programmed to perform regular scans at a particular time interval to ensure your environment is safe.
Versatile use
These smart smoke detectors can be installed in homes, schools, and offices. They usually have a sleek design which makes them appealing and fit for all areas. Some brands of smart smoke detectors offer enough illumination from their LED displays to function as nightlights. This feature is helpful when you do not want to turn on the lights while searching for a midnight snack.
Depending on how you plan to use the device, you can buy models that work with electricity or batteries. The smart smoke detectors that work with batteries can be used underground, during mining activities or repairs to detect gas leaks or smoke.
When shopping for a smart detector, some features you should look out for include the type of notification, connectivity range, the price, and accuracy of the smoke or gas detection functions.
Here are some popular brands of smart smoke detectors you will find online, Halo+ smart smoke, Nest protect, Roost Battery Smart, and Leeo Smart Alert Nightlight.