photoelectric smoke alarm

Your Smoke Detector Is Lying to You — Here’s the Truth

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Your Smoke Detector Is Lying to You — Here's the Truth

A few years back, I got called out to a house in the suburbs — routine HVAC inspection, nothing dramatic. While I was up in the attic checking ductwork, the homeowner mentioned her smoke detector had been chirping. She figured it was a low battery. I climbed down, walked over to the hallway detector, and … Read more

Photoelectric vs Dual Sensor: Which Smoke Detector Saves Lives

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Photoelectric vs Dual Sensor: Which Smoke Detector Saves Lives

I got a call last spring from a homeowner in the suburbs of Salt Lake City — let’s call her Karen. She’d just replaced every ionization-only smoke detector in her house after reading that they’re slow to detect smoldering fires, which are responsible for the majority of home fire deaths. Smart move. But when she … Read more