Which is a better smoke detector ionization or photoelectric?
Ionization smoke alarms tend to respond faster to the smoke produced by flaming fires than photoelectric smoke alarms. Photoelectric smoke alarms tend to respond faster to the smoke produced by smoldering fires than ionization smoke alarms.
Do you need ionization and photoelectric smoke detectors?
Because no one can know when a fire will occur or what type of fire they will have in their home, virtually every recognized fire authority and safety expert – including NFPA, the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA), Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and Underwriters Laboratories (UL) – recommend having both …
Are ionization smoke detectors good?
Ionization alarms are good at detecting fast flaming fires. As it just so happens, ionization alarms are also very good at detecting burning food. These false alarms lead people to believe that their smoke alarms are extremely sensitive, and therefore extremely effective.
What smoke detector do firemen recommend?
Since no one can predict what type of fire might start in their home, the USFA recommends that every home and place where people sleep have: Both ionization AND photoelectric smoke alarms. OR. Dual sensor smoke alarms, which contain both ionization and photoelectric smoke sensors.
Which type of smoke detector is better?
Photoelectric smoke detectors are best at detecting the large particles typical of smoky, smoldering fires but poor at detecting fast, flaming fires. Photoelectric units are less prone to false alarms from burnt food, so they may be a better fit in kitchen areas.
Which type of smoke detector is best?
What are ionisation smoke detectors most suitable for?
Designed to react quickly to fast flaming fires, ionisation smoke alarms are most sensitive to small particles. When fires produce little or no smoke but the fuel is subject to rapid combustion, the ionisation smoke detector is the quickest to sense its presence.
Are dual-sensor smoke alarms better?
Smoke Detectors Fires burn differently: Some flare, some smolder. Dual-sensor smoke detectors combine ionization and photoelectric technology to detect both flaming and smoldering fires, offering you the best protection and saving you the hassle of installing two separate smoke detectors.
What is a photoelectric smoke detector?
The second type of smoke detector is photoelectric, which uses a light beam to help detect the presence of smoke. According to NFPA, these alarm types are more effective at sounding when a fire originates from a smoldering source, like a lit cigarette that falls into a couch cushion.
What should I look for when buying a smoke detector?
Know your types of smoke alarms
- Ionization sensing alarms may detect invisible fire particles (associated with fast flaming fires) sooner than photoelectric alarms.
- Photoelectric sensing alarms may detect visible fire particles (associated with slow smoldering fires) sooner than ionization alarms.