A smoke detector isn’t something you normally think about until the batteries are low and it’s sending out shrill blasts in the middle of the night or if you actually have a fire. I had the batteries go out and scare me on more than one occasion, and it didn’t stop happening even though I upgraded to wired smoke detectors. For some reason they just malfunctioned once in awhile.
I had another concern that I wanted to cover when it came to these alarms, and that was carbon monoxide. Like any parent I’ve read up on the dangers of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning in the home and how you can purchase carbon monoxide monitors to alert you if that happens. This seemed like a good plan until I realized that I could install a reliable smoke detector to protect my family while also monitoring the carbon monoxide in my home, all with a single device.
Nest Protect Wi-Fi Smoke & Carbon Monoxide Alarm
I’ve been using the Nest Protect Wi-Fi Smoke & Carbon Monoxide Alarm for three years, and it’s a smart solution that alleviates anyone’s concern about smoke and CO in their home. Available in both battery operated and wired models, there are more than a few features that I love about them.
Nest Protect is easy to set up
Whether you’re installing the battery operated version of Nest Protect or the fully wired type, it’s easy to install. I have two wired units and one battery operated, and once you’ve plugged them into power you’ll be able to open up the Nest app and customize them.
Because I have three I’ve named them Living Room, Kitchen, and Attic. This helps you distinguish when the voice calls out and says, “There’s smoke in the xyz” instead of you wondering exactly where it’s coming from.
Nest Protect detects fire and carbon monoxide
For me, the biggest reason why I choose the Nest system is because I wanted to protect my family from fire and CO. The Protect has a spit-spectrum sensor and will detect both fast and slow-burning fires. It also has a 10-year CO sensor that will quickly alert you to any toxic CO.
Nest Protect uses a voice instead of a beep
That harsh beep, beep, beep sound that goes off in the middle of the night is really jarring, but it’s even more annoying if that sound is due to nothing more than burnt toast. With smart detection on your Nest Protect you’ll know the difference between a real fire and the possibility of a fire.
There are three different levels to a Nest Protect. The first level happens when the Nest Protect detects a slight amount of smoke or rising levels of CO. That’s when the voice says, “Heads Up, there’s smoke in the kitchen” and the Nest Protect flashes yellow. If the smoke is rising and things are getting worse, the Nest Protect will flash red and talk to you to tell you that the smoke is rising and let you know exactly what the threat level is.
You can hush the alarm
If you’ve ever taken a broom stick to your smoke detector because it just wouldn’t stop blaring in the middle of the night, you’ll love the Nest Protect Hush feature. You can hush the Nest Protect via the Nest app. This comes in handy when you have vaulted ceilings and your Nest Protect is too high to easily reach.
You always know what’s going on at home
Thanks to the Nest app on my phone, if I’m ever worried about what’s going on in my house, I can always check in. When you set up your Nest Protect monitors you scan a code on the back that syncs it to your app. When each Nest is registered you can even see what the temperature is at home and, if there’s an alert, it shows up on your phone.
The Nest Protect is so effective, easy to use, and handy as a smart smoke detector that the fact that there’s CO protection is just an added bonus. I’ve never had a CO alarm go off in my house, but it’s nice to know that if there was ever a leak, I’d know right away.
If there ever was a smart home addition that’s a must-have, the Nest Protect Wi-Fi Smoke & Carbon Monoxide Alarm is it. You can find both the wired and battery operated Nest Protect on Best Buy in the smart home category right now.
