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Product Education

Consumer Guides
Product Education

 Fire & Smoke Detectors

A basic overview of the benefits and drawbacks of current smoke and fire detection technologies for the home.

Comparison Chart


Sources:
- Chart is based on “Silent Alarms, Deadly Differences”, ASHI Reporter, June 2013
- Smoke Detector: Smoke Detector
- Ionization Detector: Ionization Detector

Photoelectric Ionization
Pros • Very effective for smoldering fires*
• Very effective for synthetic materials fires
• 15 to 50 minutes faster in a smoldering fire then ionization smoke alarm
• Less prone to nuisance alarm
• 4% failure rate


• Cheaper cost
• 30-90 seconds faster in fast flame fires*
• Very sensitive for burnt toast
Cons • Higher cost ($5 - $15 more that ionization smoke alarm)
• Not sensitive for burnt toast
• 55% failure rate
• 15 to 50 minutes slower in a smoldering fire then photoelectric smoke alarm
• Very prone to nuisance alarm
• Not effective for synthetic materials fires

* The vast majority of residential fire fatalities are due to smoke inhalation, not the actual flames.




Recalls

FEMA.gov Listing: Smoke Detector Recalls
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission: CPSC.gov Database