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Gentex -
Photoelectric and Ionization Smoke Alarms/Detectors:
Sleeping Room Applications
Summary:
Gentex
Manufactures Only Photoelectric Smoke Alarms
NFPA Study
Indicates That About 1/3 of Smoke Alarms Installed
in Homes Are Inoperative
Woodlands, TX
Study Shows Over 91% of Nuisance Activation Are
Ionization Alarms
Hilton Hotel Fire,
Houston, TX 1982: First Detector to Activate
Was Photoelectric Located in Elevator Lobby 4 Floors
Away When Guest Had Door Propped Open to Clear the
Smoke From Her Room.
Prudential
Building, Boston, MA: Ionization Detectors on Most
Floors Never Activated During the 2+ Hour Incident
Even Though Smoke Was Known to Be Thick in These
Locations Within 4 Minutes of the Fire.
Ft. Lauderdale,
1984: First Ionization Alarm Activated 68+
Minutes After Photoelectric Alarms. First
Ionization Alarm Activated After All Photoelectric
Alarms Sounded
Norwegian Study,
1991:
First Ionization
to Alarm Was 66+ Minutes After Photoelectric.
Ionization Alarm After All Room Did Not Respond
Summary:
Ionization: Is Many Times More Susceptible to
Nuisance Alarms Caused by Cooking Odors Which Can
Lead to Disabling of The Detectors - Especially in
Residential Applications
Photoelectric: Is Much More Immune to Nuisance
Alarms Caused by Cooking Odors
When Determining
the Type Of Detector for Sleeping Room Applications
Consider: NFPA and British Studies Conclude
That the Vast Majority of Fatalities Occur in Slow
Smoldering Fires.
Combination
Ionization/Photoelectric Smoke Alarms:
Ionization Portion of Unit Is Still Susceptible to
Nuisance Tripping
To Keep Costs Reasonable, Many Manufacturers Utilize
Less Expensive Ionization and Photoelectric
Components.
See Page 19 of PDF
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