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.

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.

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