As a new homeowner or an owner curious about protecting your assets, a fire alarm system should be your number one priority. Fires have the potential to double in size every 30 seconds and this added layer of protection ensures the greatest chance for survival and the fastest response from the fire department.
An old sales pitch for fire alarm systems is that “they’re like having a firefighter in your home 24 hours a day!” That’s not entirely true. The goal of any alarm system is to protect human life and property. Having a monitored alarm system ensures that your property, no matter if you’re home or away, is protected and the fire department called should there be a fire.
You should already have smoke detectors in your home that would alert you day or night to smoke, but what a fire alarm system can do is contact the fire department. This is something you can also do once you escape your home, but the alarm monitoring company can call 911 before you get outside. The fire department can already be driving to your home instead of losing precious minutes for someone else to locate their phone and call 911. Should the worst happen, this call to 911 can be made if you’re unconscious and unable to escape or call 911.
Some cities are requiring newly constructed homes to be built with sprinkler systems to add an additional layer of protection for residents. These sprinklers can save property, more importantly, and provide an escape route from the room or home.
Additional benefits to a fire alarm system is a potential reduction in homeowner’s insurance premiums. Adding an alarm system, or even a sprinkler system, puts your home at less risk of an insurance claim. From an insurance standpoint, you have added protection to your home and are reducing the likelihood that severe fire damage will occur.
That’s fine, but how much does it cost?
We often balance the probability of an emergency with the cost it takes to start using the safety measure, in this case, the fire alarm or sprinklers. There are significant variables when determining the cost of an alarm system. Installation and maintenance can sound like huge costs but it will be important to get a quote from a reputable and experienced fire alarm company because there is no one-size-fits-all price. Factors that impact the cost of an alarm system or the size of the home and if you’ll be installing the system during the construction phase or afterward.
Fire alarms can have a dramatic impact on your ability to safely exit a burning building and protect your property. The fastest phone call to 911 can be made by your alarm system. There are costs associated with these systems but generally, the reduction in your insurance costs and the cost of replacing valuables make these systems worth the investment.
Fire Alarm Jobs or Sprinkler Installers and Technicians
If you’re a firefighter looking for a part-time job or looking for a career change companies are always looking for fire alarm and fire sprinkler technicians. If you want to learn more about these systems and their applicable codes checkout this Fire Alarm Design Guide.
