Ionization smoke alarm works best in rooms with papers, paint, flammable liquids, paint, cooking grease. Photoelectric smoke alarms works best in living rooms, bedrooms, and outside kitchens. Additionally, heat detectors work best inside kitchen, attic, garage, laundry and furnace rooms.
Ionization Smoke Alarms
This is usually caused by flammable liquids, wood, or paper starting the fire. Ionization works well in hallways and bedrooms, although we recommend having a dual detector in your bedroom since most fatal fires happen while sleeping, so the bedroom should be the most protected area.
The ionization alarms will react to shower steam, so they shouldn't be used near bathrooms. Photoelectric should be used in areas that have steam, and ionization should be used in living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, near air vents, etc. Some companies label smoke alarms for the appropriate location.
Install smoke alarms inside each bedroom, outside each sleeping area and on every level of the home, including the basement.
According to the United States Department of Homeland Security, and the California Building Code, at least one smoke detector needs to be placed in each of the following areas of your home: On Every Floor Level. In Every Bedroom. In Every Hallway Outside of a Bedroom.
Smoke alarms installed in all circulations spaces that form part of escape routes, and in all areas where a fire may start (excluding bathrooms) Areas where a fire may start include hallways, landings, living room, kitchen and bedrooms.
The NFPA recommends that you install a carbon monoxide alarm, like smoke alarms, on every level of your home, inside every bedroom, and outside each sleeping area. Make sure carbon monoxide detectors are also installed near attached garages in case a car is left running, and anywhere else the manufacturer recommends.
Smoke, heat and other combustion products rise to the ceiling and spread horizontally. Mounting the smoke alarm on the ceiling in the center of the room places it closest to all points in the room. Ceiling mounting is preferred in ordinary residential construction.
Bedrooms are the most common room in the home where electrical fires start. Electrical fires are a special concern during winter months which call for more indoor activities and increases in lighting, heating, and appliance use. Do not trap electric cords against walls where heat can build up.
Smoke alarms are to be installed in all residential dwellings (single family homes, multi-family homes, hotels, rental properties, dormitories, etc.). Smoke alarms in newly constructed or renovated dwellings are required to be hardwired with a battery back-up, interconnected, and UL-listed. NFPA 720 (2015 ed.).
Since no one can predict what type of fire might start in their home, the U.S. Fire Administration recommends that every home and place where people sleep have: Both ionization AND photoelectric smoke alarms, OR. Dual-sensor smoke alarms, which contain both ionization and photoelectric smoke sensors.
This is why the National Fire Protection Association recommends the use of both ionization and photoelectric technologies in all smoke detectors. NFPA 72 advises having both photoelectric and ionization alarms for optimal protection against different types of fires.
Difficulty Detecting Quick-Burning Fires
One of the primary limitations of photoelectric smoke detectors is their reduced sensitivity to quick-burning fires. These types of fires, often ignited by fast-acting sources such as sparklers or electrical sparks, produce less smoke but more intense flames.
Install smoke alarms inside each bedroom, outside each sleeping area and on every level of the home, including the basement. On levels without bedrooms, install alarms in the living room (or den or family room) or near the stairway to the upper level, or in both locations.
An ionization smoke alarm is generally more responsive to flaming fires (imagine a fire where you can see the flame), while a photoelectric smoke alarm is generally more responsive to smoking, smoldering fires (such as a cigarette).
Overall, we recommend the First Alert SA3210 because it combines photoelectric and ionization sensors that detect low and smoky fires as well as high flames. It's also battery-operated, so it's easy to install. If you're looking for a bargain, the Kidde I9030 is a basic smoke detector that does the job at low cost.
Where are home fires most likely to start? Home fires are more likely to start in the kitchen than any other room in the home. The second leading cause of home fires are heating sources like wood stoves, and fireplaces.
Cooking Fires
The #1 cause of house fires, accounting for 42% of reported incidents, is cooking.
Avoid installing alarms near windows, doors, or air ducts where drafts are present. Don't place a smoke detector directly over the stove or range or next to a fireplace or furnace.
It is recommended that there should be a smoke alarm placed within 3 metres of every bedroom door to ensure audibility and that they should be installed in circulation spaces such as hallways and landings.
To maximize the efficiency of a smoke detector in a bedroom with a ceiling fan, the ideal placement is on the ceiling, away from the fan blades. The smoke detector should be placed at least three feet away from the fan and close to the center of the room.
Smoke Detectors may be placed on walls, but must be higher than any opening into the room (e.g. doors,windows) and are placed between 4” and 12” from the ceiling. Carbon Monoxide detectors may be battery operated or plug in to an electrical outlet.
While both smoke and carbon monoxide alarms serve distinct purposes, they are equally important for your family's safety. Fires can produce carbon monoxide, so a smoke alarm won't always detect this gas.
It is strongly recommended for all occupied homes to have carbon monoxide detectors installed. It is especially important for homes with equipment like furnaces, stoves, generators, and gas water heaters to install carbon monoxide detectors to help prevent carbon monoxide poisoning.