Defective Smoke Alarms & Smoke Alarm Lawsuits
Mobile, Alabama
PHOTOELECTRIC VS. IONIZATION SMOKE ALARMS
There are two primary types of smoke alarm sensing technologies: photoelectric and ionization. A photoelectric smoke alarm is best for detecting slow smoldering fires. Slow smoldering fires typically involve lots of smoke and little or no flames at the initial stage. For example, a couch may smolder and billow plumes of toxic smoke for a long period of time before developing into a flaming fire. Slow smoldering fires typically occur when people are asleep and are generally responsible for more deaths than fast flaming fires. Photoelectric smoke alarms cost approximately $15.00, but represent less than 5% of all smoke alarms sold in America. Many experts recommend a photoelectric smoke alarm or a photoelectric/ionization combination. The manufacturers recommend that you have both an ionization and photoelectric, but a vast majority of people do not even know there are two technologies.
The ionization smoke alarm is best for detecting fast flaming fires where there is less smoke. In fact, ionization detectors should be called “fire alarms” not smoke detectors because they are designed to detect flames and often do not detect smoke only. Ionization smoke alarms cost approximately $10.00 and represent approximately 95% of alarms sold in America. The ionization smoke alarm may not respond at all to a slow smoldering fire even when a room is completely filled with smoke. If an ionization smoke alarm sounds in a slow smoldering fire, it may take up to 15-30 minutes longerfor it to sound when compared to a photoelectric. Gary Lederer, a Senior Vice President for smoke alarm manufacturer BRK, appeared on the National T.V. program 20/20 in May 1996 where he was questioned about a 15 minute delay in sounding:
Gary Lederer: The photoelectric will sound an alarm sooner than an ionization, but both will sound an alarm in sufficient time to allow you to evacuate the building.
Arnold Diaz: How much sooner would the photoelectric sound the alarm in a slow, smoldering smoke fire?
Gary Lederer: Fifteen minutes prior to the ionization detector.
Arnold Diaz: Well, I want that extra 15 minutes to go wake up other members of my family, to go make sure everybody’s safe, to herd them outside.
Gary Lederer: We, we have the answer for you. We have a combination unit that has both detection principals in one unit.
There is an abundance of technical literature showing that ionization smoke alarms have a substantial delay in sounding when compared to a photoelectric in a slow smoldering fire. Experts for the manufacturers admit this delay. Surprisingly, the in‑house engineers and executives at the major smoke alarm manufacturers, such as Mr. Lederer, admit this fact also. At the same time, all the major smoke alarm manufacturers promote the idea that “every second counts” in a fire.
The ionization chamber in ionization smoke alarms is basically the same in all ionization smoke alarms sold in America. The technology for the ionization sensing chamber has not changed in over 30 years. The defect associated with ionization smoke alarms has been the subject of several investigative news programs in this country and others, but nothing has been done to correct the defect. Fire expert and Boston Deputy Fire Chief Jay Fleming believes the defective ionization alarm has claimed the lives of more than 10,000 in house fires over the past few decades. Despite all this publicity and investigation, the smoke alarm manufacturers continue to sell ionization smoke alarms at an alarming rate and have chosen not to inform or warn the purchasing public about the defect.
