Home Fire Alarm System

A home fire alarm system is often a component of a overall security system which provides fire protection in addition to your burglar alarm system. These systems usually monitor doors, windows and rooms within your home and may provide fire and intrusion monitoring by dialing your telephone or cell phone to report a fire or break-in to an alarm monitoring center where it will be reported to your local fire or police department.
Fire alarm systems that provide alarm monitoring can also be used to provide medical alert services. If a person with health provides living alone would typically carry a radio transmitter that can trigger the alarm system if they require assistance. The alarm raised at the monitoring center are identified by type, such as medical alert, fire or burglary.
As these systems are relatively costly, home fire alarm systems are usually found only in larger homes. These systems can cost as much as $1000 to install and 24-hour monitoring can add $15 to $20 per month.
A home fire alarm system is capable of more than just detecting heat and smoke. They also sense carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide is an odourless, colourless, tasteless, poisonous gas produced by incomplete burning of carbon-based fuels, including gas, oil, coal and wood. You can not see it, taste it or smell it but CO can kill quickly without warning. People die from CO poisoning caused by gas appliances and flues that have not been properly installed, maintained or that are poorly ventilated so monitoring of these appliances is vital for your safety.
These systems usually consist of a control panel where the heat detectors and smoke alarms are connected together with bells/sirens or horns that get activated when the system is triggered. There are other sensors which may be connected to provide burglary functions such as door and window sensors or to monitor rooms for motion or body heat. The central control panel operates from the house mains power but usually has an emergency battery which can operate the fire alarm system for several hours in the event of a power outage.