Oct 2, 2017
Vivint SmartHome Fire Alarm: October is Fire Protection Month
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According to mysmokealarmla.org, the original patent for the fire alarm was filed in 1890 by Francis Robbins Upton, a colleague of Thomas Edison. This progressed to a heat/smoke detector in 1902, by George Andrew Darby in Birmingham, England. This was followed, in time, by the modern Ionization type alarm, with 10 year LiPo batteries. People living in 1915 had a 1:10 chance of dying if their home caught fire. Currently, the average homeowner has a 1:100 chance of surviving a home fire. It is absolutely amazing that this technology has resulted in this degree of survival advantage. Is it not sad that in 2013 96% of households had a smoke alarm, but 30% were not functional due to the removal of a battery or defect?
The purpose of the fire alarm is not to protect stuff, but to protect life. I am very protective of my family and could not imagine life without them. Even though I am a light sleeper, I know that I sleep a little better with a smoke/fire alarm in every room of my home. I love the reassurance that I will awaken to help to get my family out of the house. Unfortunately, I have to go to work and must leave my wife and 2-year-old daughter at home. A few weeks ago, while at work, my iPhone 7 plus alerted me that a fire alarm was detected in my home. I was immediately able to call my wife, to discover that there was a small food fire on the stove and that she was able to put it out. Before I was halfway through that call, my home alarm company contacted me to make sure everything was okay. They had also already contacted her to make sure she was okay. This entire process took less than 2 minutes and happened without our intervention. I have never been so thankful to have a big brother watching than I was that day.
Vivint Smart Home is more than a home alarm company! They have become an integral part of my castle. I have been a subscriber of the company for seven years, trusting my door and window open/close alarms, door locks, smoke/fire alarm, carbon monoxide alarm and recently my doorbell, my perimeter cameras, my Element thermostats and indoor Ping camera. With my three children and neighborhood children running around my home, I love to know when doors are open/closed, to know when someone rings my doorbell and to know when motion is detected. My children can have two-way communication with me through the doorbell camera and through the Vivint Ping Camera as well. This system pairs amazingly well with the iPhone and Apple ecosystem and is incredibly easy/convenient to control.
The device is packaged with the needed installation hardware and batteries. It is recommended to have an alarm in every bedroom, outside of every sleeping area, at the opening of stairways, family rooms, and dens. It is also important to make sure that there is at least one on every level of the home. Do not place alarms over the sink, stove, oven or microwave and make sure that the alarm is installed at least five-feet away from any form of cooking appliance. Installation is incredibly easy with the included drywall anchors and screws. The base measures just under 5 inches in diameter and the top screws directly to the base measuring 2 1/4 inches tall. Make sure that you install the alarm at least 4 inches from any wall and use the appropriate batteries. The 2Gig Wireless Smoke/Heat/Freeze Alarm is powered by three AAA Energizer E92 batteries (1.5 V1100mAh) batteries, which should be changed annually.
I absolutely love that the Vivint SkyControl Display panel regularly looks for low battery levels. When it senses the low power of the batteries, your Vivint SkyControl Panel will alert you to the problem and will direct you to replace the batteries. If you forget to change the batteries, the device will chirp upon reaching a critical battery level. The system is truly designed with protection in mind. The design is visually appealing and does not create an eyesore on the ceiling. The alarm detects smoke and extreme heat and is designed to alert Vivint Professionals within 1 minute. The system has a Photoelectric detector, built in 85-decibel alarm, and replaceable batteries. The newest model also serves as both a heat and freeze detector. One of the most favorable aspects of this system is that you do not have to run any wires to make this system work.
This October, plan to replace the batteries in your fire alarms and create a fire escape plan. Once created, make sure that you have two ways out of your home and teach everyone to remain outside. It is also important to make sure that you practice the exit strategy and remind everyone that there are no objects worth risking a life over. Practice during the day and during the night and have primary and backup meeting locations. With a 24/7/365 monitoring system, I can honestly say that I sleep even better knowing that Vivint Smart Home is watching my back. Call Vivint today to learn more 855.898.8908.
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Originally published at macsources.com on October 2, 2017.
