Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors Smoke Detectors    - Types of Smoke        Detectors Carbon Monoxide - Carbon Monoxide     Poisoning - Carbon Monoxide   Detectors Back to Fire Prevention

There are two different types of smoke detectors, photoelectric or ionization. Each type will work with different types of fire.

• Photoelectric – is generally more sensitive than ionization technology at detecting large particles of smoke which are produced by smoldering fires.
   
• Ionization – are generally more sensitive than photoelectric technology at detecting small particles which are produced by fast – flaming fires. Most of the detectors manufactured are Ionization technology.

There are detectors that are duel sensing detectors that are both photoelectric and ionization sensing. These detectors will offer the best of both technologies for early fire detection.