Five Reasons Photoelectric Smoke Alarms are the Best Choice for Fire Safety
When it comes to fire safety in your home or rental property, smoke alarms can be the difference between life and death. But with so many options on the market, what type of smoke alarm does Fire Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) recommend?
FENZ strongly recommends the use of photoelectric smoke alarms due to their superior performance in detecting fires early, especially slow, smouldering fires that can be deadly. In this blog, Fireco explains why photoelectric smoke alarms are your best choice for safety.
Photoelectric smoke alarms are designed to react faster to fires that start slowly, such as those from overheated wiring, smouldering furniture, or other materials that may burn without flames initially. They work by detecting smoke particles in the air: there’s a light source aimed into a sensing/detection chamber inside the alarm unit, and when smoke enters this chamber, it interrupts the light and sets the alarm off.
What’s the Difference Between Photoelectric and Ionization Smoke Alarms?
Photoelectric and ionization smoke alarms differ in how they detect smoke. Traditional ionization alarms use a small amount of radioactive material to detect smaller particles from fast-flaming fires, like those caused by paper or grease. Ionization alarms are often slower to react to slow building fires, which can burn for hours before actually turning into a blaze.
Why Are Photoelectric Smoke Alarms Better?
- Faster Response to Smouldering Fires: Photoelectric alarms respond more quickly to smouldering fires. These slow-burning fires can produce a lot of toxic smoke before visible flames appear, making early detection critical to escaping safely.
- Better Battery Life: Photoelectric smoke alarms come with long-life lithium batteries, meaning they can last up to 10 years without a battery change – reducing the risk of failure due to a flat battery. Photoelectric is your best choice for peace of mind and minimal maintenance, as yearly battery changes will be a thing of the past.
- Reduced False Alarms: If you’ve ever set off your smoke alarm while cooking or taking a hot shower, you’ll appreciate this: photoelectric alarms are less prone to false alarms caused by steam or kitchen smoke. This makes them ideal for placement in kitchens, hallways near bathrooms, and living areas.
- Safer for Sleeping Areas: Most fatal fires happen at night while occupants are sleeping and unaware of smoke – did you know you can’t smell smoke when you’re asleep? Because photoelectric alarms detect the slow, smouldering fires that can produce deadly fumes before you even notice flames, they’re the best choice for bedrooms and sleeping areas, alerting you earlier and giving you more time to escape unharmed.
- Compliance with FENZ Recommendations: Fire Emergency New Zealand advises that every household should have long-life photoelectric smoke alarms installed in key areas such as bedrooms, hallways, and living rooms.
While any smoke alarm is better than none at all, photoelectric smoke alarms will provide superior protection – especially against dangerous smoke that occurs before a fire turns into a full blaze and is picked up by traditional alarms.
Find Fireco’s recommended photoelectric alarms here, or contact our team for more information.
