Get safely out of the house in case of fire
If a fire breaks out in the middle of the night, your smoke detector will sound the alarm. However, getting everybody out of the house might be problematic - especially if you have little kids. There are some things we can do to make the situation a little smarter.
We want to make sure all lights come on so we can easily find our way out of the otherwise dark house at night. Also, make sure to unlock all doors. And if you have an irrigation or sprinkler system in the yard or garden, turn it on to prevent any fire from spreading outside.
A variation of this is to listen for the sound of a window breaking at night or when you’re not home.
Use cases
Fire Emergency
- Smoke Detector Goes Off - Immediate emergency response
- Nighttime Evacuation - All lights turn on for safe exit
- Door Unlock - Quick escape without fumbling for locks
Break-in Detection
- Window Breaks - Alert and response to glass break sound
- Nighttime Intrusion - Lights and notifications activate
Products needed
Essential Equipment
Smart Smoke Detector or Detection Method
Options:
• Native smart detector: Nest Protect, First Alert Onelink
• Sound listener: Amazon Echo Guard feature, dedicated listeners
• Wired relay: Attached to existing smoke detector wiring
• Native smart detector: Nest Protect, First Alert Onelink
• Sound listener: Amazon Echo Guard feature, dedicated listeners
• Wired relay: Attached to existing smoke detector wiring
Smart Lights
Whole-house smart lights for full illumination during emergency
Optional Enhancements
Smart Door Lock
Auto-unlock for quick escape
Smart Irrigation System
Wet exterior to prevent fire spread (Rachio, RainMachine, etc.)
Glass Break Sensor
Ring Glass Break, Aqara, SmartThings sensors
🔊 Smoke Detection Without Smart Detectors
If you don't have a smart smoke detector, there are alternatives you can use to make your existing detector smart:
- Wired relays: Attach to existing smoke detector wiring, acts like an open/closed sensor when alarm sounds
- Sound listeners: Devices that pick up the specific sound pattern of smoke detectors and send signals to your smart home
- Amazon Echo Guard: Built into Echo devices, can detect smoke alarm sounds through its Guard feature
Basic automation setup
IF smoke detector goes off
THEN turn on all lights
AND unlock all doors
AND start outdoor irrigation
AND send notifications
Triggers
- Smoke detector goes off (state changes to "smoke detected")
- OR Sound listener detects smoke alarm pattern
- OR Wired relay sensor changes state
Conditions
- None - this should always run when triggered
Actions
- Turn on lights in the whole house (100% brightness)
- Unlock all doors
- Start the outdoor irrigation (if available)
- Send critical notifications to all family members
- Optional: Announce evacuation message on smart speakers
Platform-specific examples
Home Assistant
Trigger
Smoke detector state changes to "on" or "smoke"
Condition
None (always run)
Actions
All lights 100% + Unlock doors + Start irrigation + Critical notifications
Optional: TTS announcement "Fire alarm activated, evacuate immediately"
SmartThings
IF
Smoke detector detects smoke
THEN
Turn on all lights + Unlock doors + Start irrigation
Note: Use SHM (SmartThings Home Monitor) for enhanced integration
Hubitat
Trigger
Smoke sensor active
Actions
All lights on + Doors unlocked + Irrigation on + Push notifications
Setup: Use Rule Machine or HSM (Hubitat Safety Monitor)
Apple HomeKit
When
Smoke detected by HomeKit smoke sensor
Do
Turn on all lights + Unlock doors
Note: Limited irrigation control, notifications automatic
Alexa
Setup
Enable Guard feature in Alexa app
When
Guard detects emergency
Action
Turn on all lights, Smart Alerts sends notifications
Google Home
When
Smoke alarm activates (Nest Protect native)
Action
Turn on lights, send notifications
Note: Nest integrates with Works with Google devices
Glass break detection setup
A variation of fire safety is detecting window break sounds:
IF glass break detected
AND time is nighttime OR home is in Away mode
THEN turn on all lights
AND send critical alert
AND start recording cameras
Triggers
- Glass break sensor detects breaking glass
- OR Sound listener detects glass break pattern
Conditions
- Time is between 10 PM and 6 AM
- OR Home is in Away mode
Actions
- Turn on all interior and exterior lights
- Send high-priority notification with location
- Start camera recording
- Optional: Sound audible alarm
- Optional: Announce warning message
Advanced features
Zone-based evacuation lighting
Create lit paths to exits:
Implementation:
- Identify primary and secondary exit paths
- Light those paths at maximum brightness
- Include stairway and hallway lights
- Exterior lights illuminate exit points
Automation Logic:
- Fire detected → All path lights to 100%
- Exterior lights on to illuminate exits
- Smart bulbs flash in exit direction (if supported)
Smoke detector by room
Different response based on fire location:
- Kitchen: Add 30-second delay (may be cooking), verify first
- Bedroom: Immediate full response, no delay
- Garage: Specific response, alert with location
Irrigation for fire containment
Strategic irrigation activation:
- Activate zones closest to house
- Wet perimeter to slow fire spread
- Run 10-15 minutes, auto shutoff after 30
Multi-alarm verification
Reduce false positives:
- Single detector: Send alert, wait 30 seconds
- Two+ detectors: Full emergency response
- Continued alarm: Full response after delay
Post-event automation
After emergency is handled:
- When smoke clears, wait 15 minutes
- Send "All clear" notification
- Return lights to previous state
- Relock doors (after verification)
Common issues and solutions
False alarms from cooking
Problem: Kitchen smoke detector too sensitive to steam or cooking smoke.
Solutions:
- Add delay for kitchen detector only
- Send verification alert before full response
- Use "photoelectric" type detector
- Relocate kitchen detector away from stove
Doors don't unlock
Problem: Lock battery low or connectivity issue.
Solutions:
- Check lock battery regularly
- Verify lock responds to commands
- Test automation monthly
- Add lock to automation actions
Notifications don't arrive
Problem: Phone in Do Not Disturb or critical alerts not enabled.
Solutions:
- Use "critical" notification flags
- Enable emergency bypass in settings
- Test notifications during setup
- Use multiple notification methods
Automation doesn't trigger
Problem: Smoke detector not integrated or wrong trigger configured.
Solutions:
- Verify smoke detector appears in smart home
- Check detector status and connectivity
- Test with manual trigger (test button)
- Review automation logs for errors
Safety considerations
Test regularly
Monthly:
- Test smoke detectors
- Verify automation triggers
- Check all lights respond
- Test door unlocks
- Verify notifications arrive
Annually:
- Replace batteries
- Review evacuation plan
- Update family on procedures
- Test irrigation response
Manual overrides
Always Ensure:
- Physical escape routes available
- Manual door locks work
- Physical light switches function
- Don’t rely solely on automation
Fire safety basics
Remember:
- Automation assists, doesn’t replace safety planning
- Have multiple escape routes
- Practice fire drills with family
- Know when to evacuate vs. fight fire
- Call 911 first
Related automations: