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How Do Smoke Detectors Operate?
A smoke detector has different ways of warning people about fire. Some have alarms, while others have flashing lights, so that people have enough time to evacuate the premises if necessary. They are not sensitive to heat, only smoke. Sometimes the smoke detector is connected to an alarm-monitoring facility, which can automatically phone your home number or even call the fire department. There are two types of smoke detectors, either battery-powered or electrically operated, and the activation is conducted through ionization or photoelectricity.
For high-flaming fires with less smoke the ionization technology works best. The smoke detector has a metal chamber in which there is a little bit of radioactive material. The charge on one side of the chamber is positive, and on the other side negative. A small electric current is created within the chamber by the radioactive material which gets ionized inside the chamber. When it detects smoke, electricity flow gets reduced, and when it falls below a certain level, the alarm sets off.
For fires which are smoky and smoldering the photoelectric smoke detectors are ideal. It has a beam of light and a small sensor which is sensitive to light. As soon as smoke particles hit the light beam, it is immediately deflected on to the sensor and the alarm goes off.
Of course there are dual-detection smoke detectors which have both the ionization and photoelectric technology, so that they can detect any type of fire that occurs.
There are battery-operated and electrically-operated smoke detectors. It is best to have an electric smoke detector with a backup battery, so that if there is an electrical fire, the alarm will be triggered off by the battery. Installation should be done by a professional electrician, because it entails your electrical safety and your home safety.