Smoke detectors are a vital part of any building’s fire safety plan, both residential and commercial. However, with so many different types on the market, how do you know which one will work the best?
Most of the time in cases like this, it’s a good idea to seek expert advice. Who would know better than firefighters what type of smoke detector to buy? With their years of experience, they’ll have no doubt seen enough structural fires to know which detectors worked properly and which ones failed to alert those inside the home.
Although there are several different styles of smoke detectors, the majority belong to one of two types. Let’s compare them, and then we’ll look at which ones firefighters are most likely to recommend.
Ionization Fire Detectors
The most popular type is the ionization fire detector. It contains a small piece of a radioactive material (the piece is so small that it’s completely harmless, don’t worry!), usually a rare element called Americium-241, that converts the electrons into positive and negative ions.
These then form into a small electric current. If that current is disrupted (for example, by smoke), the detector goes off. This style is particularly good at detecting fires that produce large or fast-moving flames, like a piece of paper or a grease fire in the kitchen.
Photoelectric Fire Detectors
The other popular type of smoke detector is the photoelectric model. They produce a beam of light inside the unit that goes between two points. When smoke enters the unit, the lights scatter. When they do, they set off a photoelectric sensor that triggers the alarm.
This style is particularly good for smoldering fires that produce a lot of smoke, like a lit match falling on a wooden chair or a fire caused by an electrical problem.
Hardwired or Battery Operated?
Although those are the two most common types, there’s another important distinction that should be made. Some smoke detectors operate on battery power, while others are hardwired directly into the building’s electrical system.
The hardwired system does, of course, include a battery backup as a failsafe because it’s still possible to have a fire with no electricity. A battery-operated unit is generally faster and more convenient to set up, but a hardwired unit is more reliable and dependable, which is essential in the event of a fire.
Which One is Better?
Now that we’ve discussed the different types of smoke detectors, which one do firefighters recommend for homes or offices? The answer might surprise you: It’s both!
Firefighters, fire chiefs, FEMA, and other experts in the field of fire safety recommend using both photoelectric and ionization smoke detectors in a home. An unexpected fire could produce high flames that move quickly or start smoldering and lead to a slow burn, so it’s best to have units that specialize in detecting both types within the home.
Although you can purchase separate units for aesthetic reasons if you’d like, there are combination units available that use both light and electricity for detecting smoke. Ideally, each room in the building should have a combo unit installed, so that no matter which type of fire it is, it’ll be detected as soon as possible.
As for the hardwired vs. battery issue, hardwired is generally preferred. They offer several advantages over battery-operated models. First, with battery-operated models, you only hear the trademark “low battery” chirp as the battery is dying. Once the battery is dead, there’s no way to know without testing it, which could leave you unprotected.
Secondly, hardwired units can be interconnected. This means that a fire in one part of the house will set off all the alarms, which makes a lot of difference if there’s an actual fire. If an electrical issue in the garage causes a fire and you’re on the other end of the house, watching a movie in your bedroom, you might not hear a battery-operated alarm go off.
If the smoke detector you’ve bought has a different connection than the one in your ceiling or if you’d like hardwired detectors installed, you should contact a qualified electrician to have them altered or installed. Many home improvement projects can be done DIY, but when electricity is involved and you aren’t experienced, it’s always a good idea to call the professionals.
Of course, battery-operated units are less expensive and are easier to move than those that have been installed on the ceiling. That being said, hardwired units are always preferred by the experts unless there’s a structural issue or another reason that makes it impossible to have an interconnected hardwired system installed.
Don’t Put Up With Any Malarky. Call Mr. Sparky!
Firefighters and other fire safety experts recommend both photoelectric and ionization smoke detectors in homes, offices, and other buildings. These can be purchased separately or as a combination model. Although battery-operated units will do, it’s always better to have a hardwired detector that plugs directly into the building’s electrical circuits installed by a professional electrician.
Speaking of professionals, if you’re interested in setting up or adjusting a hardwired smoke detector system (or have questions about where they should be installed to prevent false alarms), don’t put up with any marlarky, call Mr. Sparky!
At Mr. Sparky’s Sarasota, our team of highly trained professionals has years of experience handling electrical issues, including installing, repairing, and adjusting hardwired smoke detectors. Let us handle all the dangerous electrical work while you relax and enjoy your new smoke detector setup. Give us a call or set up an appointment online with Mr. Sparky’s Sarasota today!
