The key to getting smoke alarms is buying the right type for a location - photo, ionization or combined. Unless there's a reason not to (like, it's right next to a bath) you usually want to go with a combined alarm to detect both types of fires well. From consumer reports: Here's a challenge to America's smoke and carbon-monoxide alarm industry: Create one device that can sense flames and smoke and warn you about carbon monoxide. Our tests of 25 alarms show that safety is far too complicated.
For example, smoke alarms that use ionization technology were great at detecting a fast-flaming fire, like burning paper, but lousy at warning you of a smoldering fire, say, in a mattress. The opposite was true of photoelectric versions. A few smoke alarms, which use both technologies, warn you of both types of fire, but they don't detect leaks of CO, a colorless, odorless gas emitted by fuel-burning appliances that can cause brain damage or death. And combined smoke and CO alarms detect only one type of fire, depending on the maker.
Getting all of a home's alarms to communicate with one another via an electrical line or wireless signal, so you would be warned about a fire or CO leak in the basement even if you were asleep upstairs, is another hurdle. Adapters enable hardwired alarms to be connected with those made by a competitor. But wireless alarms can communicate only with other wireless alarms from the same company, since manufacturers use different frequencies. The industry should fix this problem.
Fortunately, you can safeguard your household with some mixing and matching. What's more, several models provide excellent protection. And any of the tested units would be better than having no detectors at all. Here are the details:
More smoke alarms do double duty
Three tested smoke alarms from First Alert and Kidde warn you of flaming and smoldering fires, saving you the hassle of installing separate ionization and photo-electric alarms for full protection. Kidde's PI2000, a CR Best Buy at $30, connects to home wiring or an existing alarm system and has battery backup for blackouts.
Buying by type can make sense
Ionization alarms are more prone to false alarms from burnt toast and shower steam. That's why it's better to install a photo-electric smoke alarm outside a kitchen or bath. BRK's hardwired 7010B, $25, includes battery backup for power outages, can be interconnected with some First Alert or other BRK alarms, and is less than half the cost of some battery-only alarms.
Kidde claims its Intelligent Ionization Alarm 900-0216 is less susceptible to false alarms. But it wasn't available in stores as we went to press; we will test it and report. |
