Choosing Smoke Alarm Types

Choosing the Right Smoke Alarm What Types of Smoke Alarms Are There?

       Smoke alarms can be found with a variety of features and added benefits to help maximize home safety, however it is important to know there are two main types of smoke alarms. They are differentiated by the smoke sensing technology they are constructed with. These technologies are called ionization and photoelectric smoke sensors and differ by the way they react to a fire occurrence:

• Ionization technology smoke alarms are generally more sensitive than photoelectric technology smoke alarms at sensing small particles, which tend to be produced in greater amounts by hot, flaming fires, that are consuming combustible materials rapidly and may spread quickly. Sources of these fires may include paper burning in a wastebasket, or a grease fire in the kitchen.

• Photoelectric smoke alarm technology is generally more sensitive than ionization smoke detector technology at sensing large smoke particles, which tend to be produced in greater amounts by smoldering fires, which may smolder for hours before bursting into flame. Sources of these fires may include cigarettes burning in couches or bedding.

For maximum protection, industry experts recommend the use of both types of technology on each level and in every bedroom of your home. Regardless of what type of smoke alarm you have in your home, First Alert recommends replacing smoke alarms every 10 years.

How to Help Reduce Nuisance Alarms
        According to a survey performed by First Alert, a leading manufacturer of smoke alarms, nearly 7 out of 10 Americans have had a smoke detector alarm because of smoke from cooking. More than 50% of Americans admitted to having silenced a false alarm by removing it from the wall or taking out the batteries.*

It is very important to never deactivate a smoke alarm for any reason. One way to help reduce the occurrence of a nuisance alarm is to install photoelectric-type smoke alarms in those areas of the home where they happen. First Alert recommends installing a photoelectric-type smoke alarm in these areas because it is activated by sensing the smoke from a larger, “smoldering fire” – not, for example, from the smoke particles of burnt toast or a blast of humidity from a hot shower.

First Alert offers the industry's widest range of photoelectric smoke alarms designed to meet all local and state fire codes. All of the alarms manufactured by First Alert meet or exceed the performance standards for smoke alarms set forth by nationally recognized testing laboratories.