What Type of Smoke Alarms Should be Used?

Photoelectric Alarms

• Photoelectric smoke alarms may respond more quickly than other kinds of smoke alarms to smoldering fires, and they are recommended for use in living rooms, bedrooms and kitchens. Those rooms tend to contain large pieces of furniture, which burns slowly and creates more smoldering smoke than flames. This type of alarm also may reduce nuisance alarms caused by smoke from kitchen cooking.

Ionization Alarms

• Ionization alarms are better suited for fires that produce flames. Rooms that may require this type of alarm have highly combustible materials, such as flammable liquids and newspapers. This is the most common kind of smoke alarm. It is also the least expensive kind of smoke alarm, according to the U.S. Fire Administration.

Dual Technology / Dual-Sensor Alarms

• Because the kind of fire that may occur can't be known, dual technology or dual-sensor smoke alarms were created. A dual technology alarm contains both photoelectric and ionization sensors in one unit, and it may be placed anywhere in a home.

Alarms for Deaf or Hearing-Impaired People

• The three common types of smoke alarms do not meet the needs of people who are deaf or hard of hearing because they emit a noise when they detect smoke. A fourth type of smoke alarm, however, uses sound and strobe lights to alert people to fires. These special alarms are available from most major smoke alarm manufacturers.