Security Talk Blog

Over the last few weeks we have starting covering “Home Automation” and how your fire and security needs integrate with the larger home network. For many of our reader the question occurs; “Why do I want to integrate my fire and security solutions with my home network?” The simple answer is; “In the long run it simplifies maintenance and provides additional levels of security.”

If we look at the evolution of the modern house we trace the development of indoor plumbing, electrical systems, heating/cooling systems, watering systems, telephone systems, TV/entertainment systems, computer networks, wireless networks, home security systems, and fire alarms. As these systems evolve the idea of each system being isolated starts to add complexity and costs to the maintenance of your home. At the primary level you probably ask; “Why can’t I control everything from a central computer (or ipad)?” If you could control all of these systems from your computer you could simply stop wasting resources and stop duplicating communication networks. “Why install more wires for your alarm system… why install more wires for your home entertainment system?” No matter how you look at it …. at some point you will want to stop duplicating systems, and every time you eliminate a duplicate system you start to save money.

Perhaps even more important than saving money and reducing complexity is adding new levels of security and safety for your family. It just takes one dead smoke detector to start compromising the safety of your home. An integrated system would simply report that you have a failing smoke alarm… and you fix it. The security of your doors, windows, garage and exterior building is paramount to the security of your family. Even when I am at work, I want to know that my house is safe for my family. If there is an intrusion in my home… I want to know immediately… no matter where I am. These are the services that an integrated system can deliver to you… as your security systems all report to you over the Internet… even when you are in London for a business meeting.

It’s December and the temperature is falling. The fireplace is roaring, the heaters are blowing, and hopefully the trustworthy smoke detector is vigilantly monitoring the whole house. I am sure that this Fall everyone checked the batteries in their smoke detectors and replaced them as needed. But, what kind of battery did you use in the smoke detector?

Hopefully, you did not use rechargeable batteries in you smoke detector, or if you did you used a low self discharge rechargeable battery. Here is why…

Common NiMH and NiCd rechargeable batteries have a high self-discharge rate, making them unsuitable for use in smoke detectors. This is true even though they may provide much more power than alkaline batteries if used soon after charging, such as in a portable stereo. Also, a problem with rechargeable batteries is a rapid voltage drop at the end of their useful charge. This is of concern in devices such as smoke detectors, since the battery may transition from “charged” to “dead” so quickly that the low-battery warning period from the detector is either so brief as to go unnoticed, or may not occur at all.

There are few winners in the rechargeable battery world that you might think as perfect for you smoke detector. Normally, these long lasting rechargeable batteries are constructed with Lithium-ion. However, the down side is that they have a very high discharge rate which can run as high as 12% per month, and the final decay rate is unstable.

Normally, you would just go out and buy a disposable lithium (not lithium-ion) and just toss it each year as a matter of security. However, now there is a variety of rechargeable batteries that are better suited for the slow power requirements of smoke detectors: Hybrid rechargeable… these batteries can save you hundreds of dollars in the long run, and they’re better for the environment than disposable batteries. The best brands come pre-charged and hold their charge for years, so they’re just as convenient as disposables.

I researched the options for these hybrid rechargeable 9 volt batteries and here is a good choice: Premium AccuEvolution 9v NiMH Precharged Low Self Discharge Rechargeable Batteries. AccuEvolution has an extremely low self discharge rate (less than 2% per month at room temp), so it stays charged for quite a while — which is absolutely essential for smoke alarms

After blogging about smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors for the last few months, I decided to replace all the smoke detectors in my home with a combination detector.    This new generation of combination detectors provide protection against fire and Carbon Monoxide (CO) all in one unit.   The second factor that makes these combination detectors practical is the price…  there are many choices in these dual units that are almost the same cost as a single unit.

I plan on adding a combination alarm on every level of my home and make sure my family has the maximum protection possible.   (note:  these new detectors also install with a minimal effort)

I know… Fall is here and I need to clean gutters, insulate a few windows, prepare the yard for winter, and get ready to start watching a season of football, but these new alarms will have to come first.

I received a phone call a few days ago from a friend of mine that ended up in the hospital after her husband turned on the central heating system for the night.  Needless to say, their house did not have a carbon monoxide alarm installed.  I quickly jumped on Wikipedia to refresh my understanding of this extremely dangerous condition.   So just the big points… copied from Wikipedia:

Carbon monoxide is a product of incomplete combustion of organic matter due to insufficient oxygen supply to enable complete oxidation to carbon dioxide (CO2). It is often produced in domestic or industrial settings by older motor vehicles and other gasoline-powered tools, heaters, and cooking equipment.

The question that begs being asked is: why would anyone with a non-electric heating source choose not to install a carbon monoxide alarm?   Even the state of Washington agrees with this as shown in the following two blogs about Washington state regulations put into effect just this year.

Washington State Carbon Monoxide Alarm

New Regulations for Carbon Monoxide to Impact Condominiums in 2011

If there is just one take from this short blog… please install a carbon monoxide alarm and protect your family.