Blog

Kidde: Innovations in Fire Safety

July 14, 2023|fsstechnologies

Your fire alarm system can protect your family, home, and belongings from fires, gas leaks, and other hazards. FSS Technologies is committed to providing its customers with top-of-the-line fire safety and emergency prevention technology, which is why we are a proud provider of products from Kidde, North America’s most installed fire safety brand. Learn about Kidde’s products and how to incorporate them into your home’s fire safety system.

What is Kidde?

Kidde is a company that specializes in smoke detection and fire suppression. Founded by Walter Kidde, the company has provided cutting-edge solutions and products for over 100 years through vendor partnerships, community engagement, and non-profit efforts. Check out what Kidde has to offer for residential and commercial fire safety.

Kidde HomeSafe products provide a more innovative solution to home safety with groundbreaking technology that combines standard detector functions with air quality monitoring. Kidde was the first to create multi-function detectors listed by UL Solutions, a global authority that tests, inspects, and issues certifications for product innovation. Most HomeSafe products detect at least one safety threat, in addition to air quality, giving your home a more comprehensive capability to monitor for safety hazards. HomeSafe detectors can monitor your home for different combinations of these hazards:

  • Smoke
  • Carbon monoxide
  • Indoor air quality issues
  • Water leaks or freezes

Kidde’s HomeSafe devices connect with the Kidde app, giving users a complete view of their home devices wherever they are. The app provides notifications if a connected device detects any issues in your home. Additionally, multiple devices in the same house can connect so that one alarm will trigger all devices. Alarm systems can be tested through the app so users can ensure their systems work before an emergency occurs. If an alarm is activated, the app can be configured to send mobile alerts to approved family members or friends and alert the homeowner. If there is a false alarm while a user is home, they can use the app’s Smart Hush feature to silence it.

For homes that use voice capabilities through Google Home or Amazon Alexa, HomeSafe devices are an excellent solution because they can integrate with these smart-home assistants. Once connected, you can use voice commands to check the status and connection of your HomeSafe devices.

In addition to its HomeSafe devices, Kidde provides a trusted selection of smoke and carbon monoxide detectors for your home’s fire safety measures. Kidde devices depend on household batteries, sealed-in lithium batteries, or direct electrical connections through wiring or outlets. Some wired options include a battery backup in case your home loses power.

Kidde detectors use different types of sensors to detect smoke or carbon monoxide:

  • Ionization sensors are more responsive to visibly flaming fires.
  • Photoelectric sensors typically respond more to smoking, smoldering fires.
  • Electrochemical sensors detect carbon monoxide through chemical reactions that create electrical surges in the device.

Some Kidde devices use a combination of ionization and photoelectric sensors for more comprehensive home protection. Multiple Kidde devices can be interconnected for even greater protection; an alert from one device can trigger a home’s system of connected devices.

Fire extinguishers are necessary for fire safety in any environment, residential or commercial. Kidde offers fire extinguishers for homes, vehicles, businesses, and other settings. These extinguishers use different chemicals for fire suppression depending on the extinguisher’s rating:

  • Class A – solid materials
  • Class B – flammable liquids and gases
  • Class C – electrical equipment
  • Class D – combustible metals
  • Class K – cooking oils and greases 

While some extinguishers work solely with one class, Kidde offers a selection of fire extinguishers compatible with Class A, B, and C fires.

In addition to the essentials, Kidde provides accessories that enhance your home’s accessibility and emergency response options:

  • Heat alarms expand protective measures to spaces unsuitable for standard smoke detectors.
  • Relay modules for smoke or carbon monoxide alarms connect your detectors to auxiliary warning devices that use sound or light, making your safety alerts more accessible.
  • Test kits check if your home is affected by mold or radon gas.
  • Adapters can help you replace wire-in smoke alarms quickly.
  • Escape ladders can provide emergency exit options from two- or three-story residences.
  • KeySafe lock boxes and cabinets can make key access easier for your family, roommates, or other authorized entrants.

Connecting to Kidde with FSS Technologies

Finding the right fire safety system for your home or business is not a one-size-fits-all solution. Our team of experts is committed to understanding your needs and finding the best devices and designs to meet them. By partnering with FSS Technologies, you gain expertise from developing your custom system to maintaining it long after it’s installed. Contact us today to start crafting your fire alarm system with Kidde devices.

Explore Our Other Blogs

2020-01_FSSTechnologies_blogs_spring-cleaning_hero-min

Spring Cleaning Your Security System

The unofficial countdown to summer begins for many of us each year as we “spring forward” into daylight saving time, moving the clock forward one hour to give us an extra hour of sunlight at the end of every day. Since this is the time of the year when we change our clocks, it is important…

Continue reading
Hero-cfs-min

What Does a Commercial Fire System Include?

Fire safety is critical for all businesses, but the components within commercial fire systems vary significantly between industries and functions. Fires can stem from common causes that affect any commercial property and sources unique to specific fields, so fire systems must address every threat using detection, prevention, protection, and suppression. With many options available for…

Continue reading
NFPA-Standards-Hero

What are the NFPA Standards for Commercial Fire Protection?

What is NFPA? The National Fire Protection Association is a non-profit organization founded in 1896. Working with more than 9,000 volunteer members, the NFPA works to create fair, balanced standards for the health and safety of the general public. The NFPA’s goal is to eliminate death, injury, and property loss caused by fire; therefore, they have developed more than 300 codes and standards for fire…

Continue reading
2020-01_FSSTechnologies_blogs_training_hero-min

What Kind of Certifications Make Our Team Security Experts?

At FSS Technologies, we pride ourselves on the fact that we are not your typical fire safety or security company. When people call us, they don’t want a one-size-fits-all solution — they want our experts to design a system that perfectly fits their needs. We take “First in Security, First in Satisfaction” seriously to ensure every…

Continue reading
Hero-fireclass-min

5 Common Causes of Commercial Fires

Many business owners and employees think their chances of dealing with a fire in the workplace are improbable, but the numbers tell a different story. According to the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA), an estimated 116,500 commercial fires were reported nationally in 2021. These fires contributed to 115 deaths, 1,025 injuries, and over $3.6 billion in…

Continue reading
Hero-security-min

Can a Security System Save My Business Money?

If you’re a business owner, you know the importance of weighing the pros and cons of major purchases before making them. A commercial security system is one of the higher-ticket items that can cause the most significant hesitation. While they can take large investments to purchase, install, and maintain, security systems can offer long-term savings…

Continue reading
cctv-types-Hero

What Are The Different Types of CCTV Cameras?

Your company’s security camera is part of a closed-circuit television system (CCTV). CCTV uses one or more cameras, through either wireless or wired transmission, to send the broadcast from the camera directly to a monitor, set of monitors, or a recording device—providing you peace of mind in the case of crime, fire, theft, or accidents…

Continue reading
Hero-min-(3)

Can Video Doorbells Be Used in Apartments?

It is at the discretion of your building manager as to whether you can use a video doorbell for your apartment. There usually are two concerns that arise when it comes to video doorbell usage in a rented property: installation concerns and privacy concerns. Issues with Video Doorbells Installation Concerns Many video doorbell systems require…

Continue reading
monitored-security-system-Hero

Monitored vs. Unmonitored Security Systems

If you’re thinking about installing a security system, you may be wondering if monitoring is a necessary feature. While an unmonitored system is better than nothing at all, there are some critical things you should consider before making a decision. The Benefits of Monitoring The noise and commotion caused by the sirens and lights associated…

Continue reading
fire-safety-kids-Hero

Fire Safety for Kids

Setting up fire alarm systems and fire monitoring are fundamental elements in your home’s fire safety plan. However, that is only the beginning. Educating your children on fire prevention, fire safety, and how to manage an emergency are vital in keeping your family safe. According to the American Red Cross, not only are children under five…

Continue reading
24h emergency
Secure My Space