Phone / TTY Signalers:

The average home phone line is analog technology and is appropriate for the signaling equipment we offer. DSL high speed lines are also analog and pose no problem for phone and video phone signalers. However, video phones will not work with all phone signalers. See our Video Phone Signaler page for details. In addition, some new residential construction now includes digital phone lines. If the phone came with your apartment or new home, you should check to see if it is digital or analog.

There are no phone signalers made specifically for use with digitial phone systems. Most office, hotel, and hospital phone lines are digital technology. These are not compatible and may cause damage to the signaling equipment. In addition, ISDN high speed computer lines are not compatible with existing phone signalers. Using signaling equipment with an incompatible phone system will void the product warranty. For this reason, it may be necessary to use a Sound Monitor with the digital phone. This is not an ideal solution because the louder the environment, the less effective the sound monitor will be. For the time being, digital phone manufacturers are not producing an assistive phone signaler.

Doorbell / Intercom Signalers:

Doorbell signalers come in both hard-wired and wireless versions. If an existing doorbell chime is available, it is possible to connect to the dry contacts (small screws usually labeled Front, Back, Ground) located inside the chime box. This allows you to continue to use the original doorbell button.

Most wireless doorbell buttons are designed for use in hallways and other protected areas. They are not recommended for use outdoors. Wireless doorbell buttons run on alkaline batteries. Battery life will vary depending on how often the doorbell is used and whether it is exposed to extreme temperatures.

Security door intercoms can be accomodated in a number of ways.

Older, buzzer style intercoms with dry contacts can be used with hard-wired doorbells or the Simplicity wireless doorbells. Without dry contacts, the magnetic pickup in the doorbell button of the Sonic Alert DB100 and DB200 signalers will activate when the buzzer goes off.

Phone-style intercoms can be connected to hard-wired doorbells if they are equipped with dry contacts. In some cases, Sound Monitors may be the best solution although they are sensitive to loud room noises and may produce false signals. Of course, those intercoms that ring the home phone directly can make use of a Phone signaler.

Baby Cry / Sound Monitors:

Sound Monitors are designed to respond to certain levels of noise in the room. They do not listen for specific sounds. This means that other sound sources such as TVs, dogs barking, traffic noises and other loud sounds can cause false alarms. In general, the closer the sound monitor is to the target sound, and the quieter the room, the more successful the sound monitor will be. Volume sensitivity controls allow you to set the monitor to ignore sounds of a lesser volume than the target noise; for example, a high sensitivity setting means that a baby's laughter will not set off the alarm, but a sustained distress cry would set the lights flashing.

Sound monitors should not be used with smoke detectors or other emergency alarms.

Sound monitors require the use of Remote Receivers. However, the Sonic Alert Sound Signaler can be used on its own with a lamp plugged into its built-in light socket. This can be useful for signaling the ring of a digital, office phone where other signaling equipment is not compatible.

Smoke / Fire / Carbon Monoxide Alarms:

Underwriters' Laboratories has found that there are two types of strobe light that should be used for alerting people who are Deaf or hard of hearing. A brightness of 177 Candela is recommended for ceiling or wall-mount strobe lights. Strobes set up next to a bed should be at least 110 Candela. Many mainstream smoke detectors have 'escape lights' that do not flash and are not bright enough to wake a sleeping person.

In the workplace, the fire alarm is commonly a hard-wired system that allows one detector to trigger all the alarms around the building. Building codes often require strobe light alarms in public areas. The same strobes could also be installed in break rooms, restrooms and storage areas. The company that maintains the system should be able to install extra strobes around the worksite.

Many apartment buildings and some houses also have hard-wired systems. Often, an apartment building will have a hard-wired alarm in the hallways and public areas around the building, but each apartment unit will only have a stand-alone, battery-operated smoke detector. Check with the building manager to find out if the existing smoke detector is a part of a hard-wired system.

It is possible to add strobe lights to an existing hard-wired system. Ask the company that maintains the system if they can install strobe lights in the bedrooms and living areas (a strobe light in the bathroom is a good idea, if possible). For safety reasons, only a professional electrician should install equipment in a hard-wired system.

Silent Call makes a Fire Alarm Panel Transmitter that can be installed in a hard-wired system that can works with a Sidekick strobe receiver inside an apartment. The Sidekick allows for the use of a bed shaker at the same time. If the hard-wired system does not reach into the apartment, the Fire Alarm Panel Transmitter can be installed in the hallway and a Silent Call battery operated Smoke Detector can be set up inside the unit for full coverage.

We do carry dual function Gentex brand smoke detectors with both a 177 Candela strobe light and standard audio alarm. These are for hard-wired systems (Gentex compatible) and stand alone applications (AC powered). The AC powered units are not recommended for most residential settings because they do not provide the same degree of early warning that the Silent Call equipment can.

The Carbon Monoxide alarms we offer are AC powered. They can be used in one room only, or as part of the Silent Call signaling system.



Which smoke detector is right for me?
First, you will need to determine whether or not you need a hard-wired smoke detector. If your apartment complex, home, or business is already equipped with a smoke detector system, you will need to purchase hard-wired smoke detector.

We also suggest that you contact your local fire department to find out about battery back-up requirements and other regulations before selecting a system that is right for you.

Once you know what you require, you can select what optional features you want. HSDCstore has put together a comparison chart, which compares the features of all the smoke detectors we sell, to help you select the one that best suits your needs. If you need additional assistance, please call us toll free at 1.888.328.2974 V/TTY or email store@hsdc.org

Do I qualify for assistance with the purchase of a signaling system?
Homeowners and renters outside of Seattle in King County, WA may contact the King Co. Housing Repair Program or the Washington Assistive Technology Foundation. In addition, some state telephone/TTY distribution programs also offer phone signaling equipment. Check for your local program at www.tedpa.org.