The PuroClean Blog
The Best Smart Home Devices to Prevent Flooding and Fire Disasters
Fires or flooding can occur in any home, even those of very cautious homeowners. Yet, further diminishing the risk of disaster is possible. Using smart home devices, those dangers are detected before they have time to wreak havoc on the home.
These devices are connected to a home’s Wi-Fi network and send homeowners alerts via their smartphone if it detects something dangerous. Here are a few smart household devices that help prevent water damage and fire disasters.
Smart Water Leak Detectors
- These compact battery-operated devices are placed near plumbing fixtures and appliances, such as sinks, toilets, bathtubs, and water heaters.
- They can be set up to immediately sound an alarm or send alerts to the smartphone (or both) if a leak occurs. That allows homeowners to act fast, whether they’re at home or away.
- Some smart leak detectors come with automatic shut-off valves that can be controlled remotely.
- For more protection and control, a complete flood monitoring system should be installed, which can be connected to the smart home security system.
Smart Smoke and CO Alarms
- These devices send an alert to a smartphone if they detect smoke or carbon monoxide (CO), or if the device has a low battery.
- If connected to a smart home security system, it can send alerts to the owner’s smartphone and the fire department in an emergency.
- Some smart smoke detectors can shut down an HVAC system if it detects smoke. That prevents smoke from spreading to other areas of the home.
- They should be used in conjunction with fire/heat detectors for the best protection against fire.
Smart Fire Detectors
- Smart fire detectors send an alert to a smartphone when:
- there’s a rapid rise in temperature (rate-of-rise detection) or
- the temperature reaches a fixed point
- Homeowners can opt for combination heat detectors that provide both fixed and rate-of-rise detection
- They can also connect with a central security system for better control and protection.
Smart Batteries
- Smart batteries send instant smartphone updates if one of the smoke detectors goes off or when the battery is low.
- These batteries are compatible with smoke and CO detectors, as well as fire detectors.
Smart Oven Shut-off Devices
- As unattended cooking is the leading cause of house fires, an automatic oven shut-off device can greatly help to avoid kitchen fires.
- They come as oven knobs or as devices installed to a kitchen cabinet.
- A smart oven shut-off device automatically turns off the stovetop or oven when cooking is left unattended. It does so by using a motion sensor that can tell if someone is in the kitchen. When leaving the kitchen, the device starts a timer and, if someone is not back in the kitchen by the end of the countdown, it will shut off the oven.
Smart Outlets
- These are electrical outlets that you can turn off remotely via an app. That helps if homeowners are home and are worried that they forgot to shut off an appliance or the lights.
- Smart outlets can be voice-controlled if connected to smart devices like Google Home and Amazon Echo.
Even with all the proper safety measures in place, disasters can still occur. If that happens, the PuroClean professionals are ready to get the home back on track. Our technicians handle emergency cleaning quickly and efficiently, following all industry standards and procedures.
March 13, 2020