What Can Ion Smoke Detectors Detect?

Detection

• Ion smoke detectors alert you of smoke due to a fire. They are widely used in homes and apartments, and the Fire Safety Council explains that they are best at detecting blazes with open flames. This characteristic makes them good for fires triggered by flammable liquids, like cleaning supplies, or fueled by combustible items like newspaper.

Function

• Ion smoke detectors use a tiny amount of radioactive material to detect smoke. The radiation ionizes air in an internal detection chamber, which allows the flow of electrical current between a pair of charged electrodes, the Fire Safety Council advises. Smoke reduces the conductivity, setting off an audible alarm.

Life Span

• Ion smoke detectors are normally reliable for 8 to 10 years, according to the U. S. Fire Administration. Some detectors get their power from your home's electrical system, but many are battery operated. Inspect the batteries in your ion smoke detector once a month, and change them once a year. Replace them immediately if the unit makes a "low battery" warning chirp. Replace the detector after 10 years, even if it still seems functional, because it endangers your family if it stops working unexpectedly.

Considerations

• Another type of smoke detector, called a photoelectric detector, is better at detecting smoldering fires than ion units. Photoelectric detectors have a light beam that gets scattered when smoke enters the unit, triggering the alarm. These detectors are good for rooms with furniture that could smolder for awhile before breaking into open flames, like bedrooms and living rooms, according to the Fire Safety Council. A photoelectric smoke detector allows more escape time by alerting home occupants to a slow, smoldering fire before it intensifies.

Alternative

• You do not have to choose between ion and photoelectric smoke detectors, according to the U. S. Fire Administration. Although some homeowners buy both detector types for maximum safety, some manufacturers make single units that incorporate both detection technologies. These units are known as dual sensor smoke alarms, and they work equally well for smoldering and spreading fires.