Who in here recommends both fire alarms inside every home? I do.
The two most commonly recognized smoke detection technologies are ionization smoke detection and photoelectric smoke detection.
Ionization smoke detection is generally more responsive to flaming fires.
How they work: Ionization-type smoke alarms have a small amount of radioactive material between two electrically charged plates, which ionizes the air and causes current to flow between the plates. When smoke enters the chamber, it disrupts the flow of ions, thus reducing the flow of current and activating the alarm.
Photoelectric smoke detection is generally more responsive to fires that begin with a long period of smoldering (called “smoldering fires”).
How they work: Photoelectric-type alarms aim a light source into a sensing chamber at an angle away from the sensor. Smoke enters the chamber, reflecting light onto the light sensor; triggering the alarm.
For each type of smoke alarm, the advantage it provides may be critical to life safety in some fire situations. Home fatal fires, day or night, include a large number of smoldering fires and a large number of flaming fires. You can not predict the type of fire you may have in your home or when it will occur. Any smoke alarm technology, to be acceptable, must perform acceptably for both types of fires in order to provide early warning of fire at all times of the day or night and whether you are asleep or awake.
For best protection, use both types of smoke alarm technologies
For best protection, it is recommended both (ionization and photoelectric) technologies be used in homes. In addition to individual ionization and photoelectric alarms, combination alarms that include both technologies in a single device are available.
Best of both worlds Billy
I’ve been using that boilerplate in my reports for years:
· **Safety Tip: **You should replace your smoke detector every 10 years. That is over 87,000 hours of service! Replace the batteries in your existing unit (if equipped). Ionization technology responds first to fast, flaming fires while photoelectric technology responds faster to slow smouldering fires. Having both types would be ideal. It is recommended that a smoke detector be installed on every floor and every bedroom of the home for improved safety.
I will from now on Billy. Thanks for the heads up and you too Marcel G. for the information. Thanks Marcel G. For that narrative also. The only thing I’m going to change is reducing the 10 down to 7 years. I’ve seen several manufacturers who now recommend only seven years of use before replacing alarms.
Dod you do this before the conference in Orlando?