Humidity & Smoke Detectors

Smoke Detectors

• Smoke detectors employ either photoelectric or ionization sensors to "see" smoke, sounding an alarm to warn occupants, according to the Durham Highway Volunteer Fire Department.

Humidity

• Any factor that causes condensation can cause a smoke alarm to go off mistakenly. While cold weather sometimes has this effect, steam or other extreme humidity can also set off the alarm.

Bathrooms

• The use of hot, steamy water in bathrooms can cause a nearby smoke alarm to sound, even with the smoke alarm positioned down the hall, because the steam can escape from the bathroom and drift into the hallway.

Preventing False Alarms

• Since ionization smoke alarms react more readily to steam than photoelectric alarms, placing photoelectric alarms near bathrooms or kitchens may reduce false alarms.

"Hush" Feature

• The Durham Highway Volunteer Fire Department notes that some ionization smoke alarms include a button that silences the alarm for 15 minutes, which may allow enough time for the offending steam to disappear.