Buy Smoke Alarm

The security of your home or workplace is of paramount importance. Smoke alarms were invented to warn you if a fire breaks out, but do you choose - optical smoke alarms or smoke detectors ionizationa In this article we will explore the differences.

The optical smoke detector

This type of smoke detector uses light technology to detect smoke. Within these alarms, there is a small light emitting diode or LED. This little light shining a thin beam of infrared light to a sensor. If all the small smoke particles interrupt the infrared light read by the voltage drop sensor and the alarm sounds. This type of smoke detector is the best place where the threat of a slow-burning, thick smoke is present.

The ionization smoke detector

This type of smoke detector uses a completely different technology to detect smoke particles in the air. This type of smoke detector is about one milligram of radioactive metal in it, which has been scientifically proven safe for humans. The sensor portion of the smoke alarm is called an ionization chamber. Inside this room there is a small quantity of electrodes with a current flowing through them.

If a small particle smoke enters the chamber, it ionizes the radioactive element in the alarm and the current between the electrodes is interrupted. This causes the alarm tone. This type of detector is good at detecting smoke when the fire is more flamboyant than the smoke from the production because it can detect these small particles.

Which is bettera

Ionization smoke detectors can detect smoke faster than optical smoke alarms due to the difference in technology. However, the ion type smoke detectors are very sensitive and can cause false alarms that their optical counterparts.

Many manufacturers have started to stop the production of ionic smoke detectors because of great advances in the technology of optical smoke detector. Those who continue to produce both ions and optical smoke alarms generally stay in the same outer envelope.

The only real way to determine what type of detector you buy is to read the packaging provided with your smoke detector. ionization detectors are more sensitive and expensive, while the optical smoke detectors are cheaper but less sensitive.

To get the best of both worlds you have used two types of detectors in your home, but remember to check them regularly and change them every 10 years.