Sonic Fire Tech launches infrasound wildfire defense system in California

"My mother-in-law first called me, and I could see the background when she FaceTimed that the fires and flames were just right behind her house. To hear that trauma and that scaredness in her voice, my heart dropped, and I said, You know, leave everything. Everything's replaceable, save your life, get out of there, he recounted. Shortly after the fire, Hotchkis joined Sonic Fire Tech, which had spent the past several years developing the technology behind the home defense system."

"The Eaton fire spread rapidly due to high winds that carried embers far distances, in some cases more than a mile. Traditional home fire defense systems don't put out embers before a fire breaks out, but the Sonic Fire Tech system can, with a detection capability extending 1,500 yards. When those embers come into the home's environment and accumulate, the system prevents the ignition of whatever's flammable around where those embers land, Hotchkis said."

"The Sonic system doesn't use water, an important feature in a dry state like California. Sadly, water quickly ran out and wasn't available to many homeowners affected by the Los Angeles fires, leaving traditional defense systems ineffective. The traditional systems that use water and chemicals can also cause great damage to the interior of a home once they go off. When you deploy those water sprinklers, now you're dealing with mold remediation."

Sonic Fire Tech developed the first home defense system that uses low-frequency sound waves to extinguish fires. The system detects embers up to 1,500 yards away and prevents ignition where embers accumulate. The sound-based approach avoids using water, which can be scarce during large wildfires and can cause interior damage, mold remediation, and destruction of personal property when traditional sprinklers activate. The system installs both exterior sensors and interior transducers that flood rooms with inaudible sound waves when a fire threat is detected. The technology aims to stop ember-driven ignitions and protect homes without the collateral damage of water- or chemical-based systems.

Read at www.housingwire.com