The short version
- Two settings decide when the system turns on: how close a fire has to get (the activation distance), and how long the system waits after that before it starts spraying (the delay).
- A FireShield technician sets both for your house at installation, typically starting from 6 miles and 9 minutes. You can also change them in the app if you want.
- The two have to fit together. A wide distance with a short delay wastes water on fires that were never coming toward you, and a tight distance with a long delay starts too late.
- The app reminds you of this on the settings screen, because it's easy to get wrong.
- You can turn automatic activation off entirely and still start the system by hand.
Every automatic wildfire system has to decide when to turn on.
FireShield sets that for your property, because the right numbers depend on your land.
Other companies use one fixed distance and countdown for every home.
Why the distance should fit your property
The right activation distance depends on where your house is.
On a hillside with dry brush and strong winds, a fire can move quickly, so you may want the system to start earlier.
In a flat neighborhood with little brush nearby, a shorter distance means fewer activations that aren't needed and less water used.
On FireShield, a technician sets the activation distance for your terrain at installation, and you can adjust it in the app if you want.
Getting the delay right
The delay is the time between a fire coming within your activation distance and the water turning on. It gives you a chance to check your phone and decide whether to let the system run.
A delay that is too short and a delay that is too long both cause problems.
Too short and you may not have time to check your phone and stop an activation that isn't needed.
Too long and the fire may reach your house before the water starts.
The two settings work together. Your delay should be comfortably shorter than the time a fire could take to cover your activation distance.
The FireShield app says this on the settings screen, in red, right under the sliders:
Match the delay to your activation distance: wait too long and the fire can reach the house before the system starts.
How the right numbers are worked out
Your installer looks at things like:
- What is around your house? Brush, open land or other homes.
- Is your house on a slope or near a canyon? Fire moves faster uphill.
- Which way do strong winds usually come from?
- How quickly could you check an alert? That helps decide the delay.
They'll explain the numbers they choose.
Change it if you want
You can change the distance and delay in the app anytime, but you don't have to. The installer's setting works year-round.
The same screen lets you choose which zones run during an automatic start (by default, all of them), or turn off automatic activation and start the system by hand instead.
What to ask
- At what distance does the system activate, and can I change it?
- How long does it wait before spraying, and can I change that?
- Can I change either one from my phone, or does it need a service visit?
- If I turn automatic activation off, can I still start the system by hand?
If a system uses the same fixed numbers for every home, those numbers weren't chosen for your property.