Home Local Business Bolda: Monitored Fire Protection May Save Your Home Or Business

Bolda: Monitored Fire Protection May Save Your Home Or Business

by ECT

Joffre Bolda

After the recent vegetation fire that almost burned just over 3,100 acres, its necessary to look at your own home or business to ensure you are not a victim of a fire and take preventative measures by potentially deciding to install a monitored smoke and heat detector where a company can monitor your home when you are out and about.

For starters, to prevent fire, one must know where the most common area of the home they begin. While some people believe most fires begin in the kitchen, its actually the master bedroom.

Wall outlets that are covered by boxes, nightstands and especially headboards, are where they start. A small short circuit can cause a spark and up goes your furniture. Also if you haven’t bought a new mattress in the last 20 years, your bed doesn’t use flame retardant materials and can burn at a much faster rate.

For you smokers, if you are in the middle of a cigarette, do not fall asleep. There are also a high amount of fires due to unattended candles. Also, always un-plug all small appliances, blow dryer, curling iron, iron, electric shavers ETC.

Those are just a few little tips than can save a lot of heartache later by taking proactive measures

For those looking for more protection, a monitored security system may ensure the quickest response by a fire district. At a minimum, one can install a Monitored Smoke/Heat Detector.

This device may save your home and the lives of family and pets even if you have smoke detectors throughout your home.  While smoke detectors are a must in any home, they only sound locally and maybe a neighbor or two may hear it. They really do provide little to no protection from a fire when no one is home.

On the other hand, for those seeking additional protection, a monitored smoke/heat detectors provide protection when you’re home and away by sending a signal to the ADT Central Station Network allowing the ADT Operator to notify your local Fire Department.

Monitored fire protection saves valuable time by notifying the ADT Central Station immediately when a fire is detected. In a fire emergency, whether you are home or away, help is on the way.

Plus, a fire can double in size every 18 seconds, so a quick response in fire emergencies is so vitally important. Saving time….saves lives!!!

Another benefit of monitored fire protection is a discount on your annual homeowner’s insurance. The discount varies depending upon each policy but typically monitored fire protection will save you about 5% or so on your annual home owner’s insurance.

When added to the typical 5% discount for a monitored security system your total discount on your annual homeowner’s insurance with an ADT Security System with fire monitoring is around 10%.  Insurance companies give you this discount because it saves them money by dramatically reducing the cost of claims from the destruction of fire.

Also, within a few years you will usually recoup the cost of upgrading your security to fire because of the discount on your annual homeowner’s insurance.

How many monitored smoke/heat detectors should you have installed in your home? Due to the cost most people cannot afford to add monitored smoke detectors in every bedroom throughout the entire home.

If you have a single story home with a hallway leading to the all the bedrooms you should have at least one monitored smoke/heat detector installed in the hallway.  If you have a master bedroom on one side of the house away from the secondary bedrooms you should install a second monitored smoke/heat detector between the master bedroom and the living area of your home.

With a two or three story home, one should have at least one monitored smoke/heat detector on each level.  The next level of fire protection is to add monitored heat only sensors in the kitchen and the garage.

If your budget can handle it, some customers I’ve dealt with put monitored smoke/heat detectors in every bedroom as well. No matter what level is affordable to you, adding a least one monitored smoke/heat detector to your home is a great idea and certainly something you will not regret.

Until next time, be aware of your surroundings and lock your doors!

If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact me directly at: 925-335-6004 or by e-mail at [email protected]

Joffre Bolda
Area Security Consultant
Office:925-290-2900
Mobile: 925-305-9996
[email protected]
www.californiasecuritypro.com

Editor’s note: As a better way to assist East County with safety protection of one’s home and property, Joffre Bolda will provide helpful tips each week.

You may also like

1 comment

Kenji Freitas Sep 13, 2013 - 7:31 am

Great column, I look forward to your tips. To add to your tip, having unmonitored smoke/CO detectors are better than not having them. Lots of people don’t even have any, or don’t have enough.

Comments are closed.