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Tag: Life Safety

Is Your Home Safe From Carbon Monoxide?
Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless gas that can be deadly if inhaled in large amounts. It is produced when fuels such as wood, gasoline, propane, and natural gas burn incompletely. Because it is difficult to detect, CO poisoning can be a serious hazard, particularly in enclosed spaces such as homes and vehicles.

One of the most common sources of CO in homes is the furnace, which can produce the gas if it is not properly maintained or ventilated. Other sources of CO in homes include gas stoves, gas water heaters, and gas dryers. Wood stoves and fireplaces can also produce CO if they are not properly ventilated.

Symptoms of CO poisoning include headache, dizziness, weakness, nausea, and shortness of breath. In severe cases, it can lead to unconsciousness and death. Children, the elderly, and people with respiratory conditions are especially vulnerable to CO poisoning.

To protect your home and family from carbon monoxide poisoning, there are several steps you can take:

Install and maintain CO detectors in your home, you can additionally consider a monitored CO system to protect your home while you’re away.

Keep your furnace, water heater, and other gas appliances in good working order, and have them inspected regularly by a qualified technician.

Make sure that your home is well-ventilated, particularly when using gas appliances.

Never use a gas stove or oven to heat your home.

Never leave a car running in an attached garage, even with the door open.

Avoid using portable fuel-burning appliances, such as camping stoves, inside your home or any other enclosed space.

By following these simple steps, you can help protect yourself and your family from the dangers of carbon monoxide.

Additionally, residents of rental properties should know about their landlord’s responsibility to maintain adequate carbon monoxide detection. To learn more about Ontario carbon monoxide detection requirements, read here.
February 7, 2023
Fireplace Safety Tips: Best Practices to Keep Your Home Safe
Fireplaces can be a cozy and attractive addition to any home, but it’s important to follow safety guidelines to prevent accidents and fires. Here are some fireplace safety tips to keep in mind:

Safe Practices
1. Have your fireplace inspected and cleaned annually by a professional. This will help ensure that your fireplace is in good working order and reduce the risk of a chimney fire.
1. Use a fireplace screen to prevent sparks and embers from escaping the fireplace and starting a fire.
1. Only burn dry, seasoned wood in your fireplace. Wet or green wood can produce more smoke and creosote, increasing the risk of a chimney fire.
1. Use a proper fire starter to ignite the fire, rather than accelerants like gasoline or kerosene. These can be extremely dangerous and increase the risk of a fire spreading quickly.
1. Keep a fire extinguisher nearby in case of emergencies.
Greater Prevention
1. Never leave a fire unattended, and make sure the fire is completely extinguished before you go to bed or leave the house.
1. Keep children and pets away from the fireplace when it is in use and teach them about the dangers of fire.
1. Install monitored smoke alarms and have them tested regularly.
Make sure you have working smoke detectors on every floor of your home. These devices can detect smoke or fire and give you and your family a chance to evacuate safely. If you have a monitored smoke detector system, an agent will also be alerted and can dispatch emergency services to your home for quick response.

Don’t take the risk – make sure you have a smoke detector system in place to protect your family and your home. By following these safety tips, you can enjoy your fireplace without worrying about accidents or fires.

You can learn more about our residential smoke detector systems here.
December 29, 2022
Winter Safety Tips

• Light up the dark

– It gets dark much earlier these days, and criminals like to work in the dark. They don’t want to get caught in the act and the best way to do this is to commit crimes in darkness.
– Installing motion-activated lights. Not only will this act as a deterrent to criminals, but it also helps cameras capture higher quality video.

• Prepare for emergencies

– Power outages and other emergencies increase during winter. Frozen power lines or fallen trees can leave homes without electricity.
– Keep an emergency kit at home. It should include flashlights, batteries, blankets and other items to get you through a power outage.
– Flooding is also a concern at this time of year. Cold temperatures can cause pipes to break, flooding homes and basements. Our flood detectors can alert you if a flood occurs no matter where you are.

• Be careful with heaters

– Every winter, fires and even deaths are caused by unsafe heating.
– Be sure to keep anything that can burn (blankets, paper, clothing, etc.) at least three feet away from heating equipment such as furnaces, fireplaces or space heaters.
– Never use an oven, BBQ or outdoor heater to heat your home.
– Have all heating equipment checked for safety issues before turning it on for the first time this season.
– Never leave portable heaters unattended.
– Make sure your carbon monoxide detectors are working correctly.

To add flood detectors, carbon monoxide detectors or other life safety devices to your security system, call 1-800-265-5317, or just CLICK HERE.

November 20, 2015
Fire And Spinkler Systems

Many homeowners do not consider installing a fire sprinkler system. Swayed by common misconceptions as well as perceived aesthetic issues, even safety-conscious homeowners sometimes steer away from sprinkler systems. That’s beginning to change, however, as more homeowners learn about the benefits of the systems and as less conspicuous sprinklers become available. In addition, some communities are beginning to mandate the installation of sprinkler systems in new homes.

Many people believe that sprinkler systems will cause more damage to a home than the fire itself, but that is not true. According to the Scottsdale Report, a fire sprinkler system delivers eight to 10 times less water than the hoses used by firefighters to put out the flames, resulting in less water damage to a home. A fire hose dispenses up to 250 gallons of water per minute, while a typical residential sprinkler head will release just 15 to 20 gallons of water per minute. Typically, only the sprinkler closest to the fire will activate — spraying water directly on the fire. According to industry experts, 90% of fires are contained with just one sprinkler head.

There are other advantages to installing sprinkler systems besides the obvious ones of saving lives and property. Some insurance companies offer discounts for homes with fire sprinkler systems and homeowners may also qualify for a tax rebate. In addition, sprinkler systems can increase the resale value of a home. Today’s prospective homeowners are much more conscious about health and safety issues, and they may be willing to pay a premium for a home with a sprinkler system.

Some important facts to consider regarding sprinkler systems:
• Sprinkler systems can contain and extinguish a fire in less time that it would take for a fire truck to arrive at the scene.
• Home sprinkler systems use a fraction of the water used by fire department hoses and create about 70% less damage to the home.
• Modern sprinkler systems are inconspicuous; many are mounted flush with the wall and ceiling.
• Each sprinkler head is designed to go off when it senses significant heat change.
• Typically, only the closest sprinkler to the fire will activate.
• With a fire sprinkler system, the risk of dying in a fire is cut by about 80%.

To schedule a no-obligation evaluation of your premises from our Fire and Life Safety Division, call 1-800-265-5317, or just CLICK HERE.

April 17, 2015
Multiple Award Winner

Security ONE Alarms is pleased to announce it has earned two more prestigious awards at the Honeywell Connect 2014 Award Ceremony; the Community Service Award for the third consecutive year, and the Life Safety Award for the fourth consecutive year.

Security ONE Director of Marketing, Corey Robertson, was presented with the Community Service Award, while General Manager, Dave Moavro picked up the Life Safety Award from the Honeywell Security Group.

Dave Moavro, General Manager, (fourth from rt.) accepts the Life Safety Award

Security ONE was recognized for outstanding commitment to Life Safety and for service to the community for its many events and fundraising activities. “Our entire team makes these two awards possible,” Robertson says. “From our Life Safety activities in our Monitoring Station to our participation in community parades, to our group fundraising activities like Aubrey’s Angles, The Big Bike, and Movember, our team members never stop giving back.”

Corey Robertson, Director of Marketing, (fifth from rt.) accepts the Community Service Award

Robertson points out that Security ONE is already prepared to continue giving back. “We’ve already given one deserving family a fully loaded Smart Home Security System in time for Christmas, along with our Five Diamond Certified monitoring,” he said. The timing couldn’t be better according to Robertson. “With Honeywell recognizing our team for Community Service, we wanted to step it up for Christmas.” Security ONE will also be participating in National Christmas Sweater Day in support of Save The Children, and has has already launched its annual company wide toy drive for Toys For Tots.

To schedule a Free Security Evaluation, call 1-800-265-5317 or Just CLICK HERE.

November 21, 2014
Fire & Life Safety

Security ONE is excited to announce the creation of a new Fire & Life Safety division.

Security ONE now provides critical Fire Detection solutions for a wide range of customers including retailers, small and large commercial buildings, and industrial and low and high rise residential buildings among others. Security ONE utilizes the latest IP and GSM monitoring technology.

With this new division, Security ONE can now ensure that all fire code requirements and fire detection, safety, security and business goals are met for our customers. Security ONE’s CFAA technicians are trained in all aspects of installation and service, and the mandatory inspection of fire monitoring systems.

The Fire & Life Safety division will be headed by Dean Moyes, who brings 22 years of experience to the role. “Our fire protection services include fire suppression, fire alarm system evaluation and design and the development of fire protection system design drawings and specifications,” says Moyes. “By asking the right questions, exploring options, and carefully considering the ‘what ifs’ of existing and future requirements, we produce reliable, safe and technologically-efficient system solutions.”

Director of Marketing, Corey Robertson says being a ULC listed monitoring station is great advantage for Security ONE. “Most cities and municipalities require that any occupied commercial premises, including residential low- and high-rise multi-tenanted buildings, be protected by a fire system monitored and serviced by a ULC-listed alarm company.” Robertson says this ensures that the proper responses and procedures are followed when fire alarms, fire troubles, and fire supervisory alarms are received, and that your system is in good working order.

Security ONE has been locally owned and operated since 1978, providing peace of mind to Southwestern Ontario for over 30 years, and is a member of the Better Business Bureau, Canadian Alarm & Security Association (CANASA), and is listed with Underwriters Laboratories Canada (ULC).

November 23, 2013
Monitored Security Systems

If no one is watching – or monitoring – your security system, it not being used to it’s full potential, and therefore, not as effective. While burglars look for empty, unprotected homes to target, most burglaries take place during the day when most people are at work.

Security ONE provides 24/7 local ULC listed monitoring, in other words, an extra set of eyes and ears when you’re not home. But there are than just break-ins to be concerned about. Who will react to your smoke alarm if a fire breaks out when you aren’t there? What if your pipes burst in the winter? What if someone has a medical emergency?

With a monitored security system, you can be protected from floods, water leaks, and smoke or CO detection, as well as medical emergencies.

What’s more, a monitored security system will save you money on your home owners insurance premium.

To learn more about Security ONE’s monitoring, visit us online at www.securityonealarm.com or call 1-800-265-5317.

October 17, 2013