Comments on Do smoke detector limitations February 27, 2025

KEN KIRSCHENBAUM, ESQ
ALARM - SECURITY INDUSTRY LEGAL EMAIL NEWSLETTER / THE ALARM EXCHANGE
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Comments on Do smoke detector limitations
February 27, 2025
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Comments on Do smoke detector limitations need special disclaimer from article on February 17, 2025
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Ken
   If System Sensor smoke detectors are photoelectric, then their failure to trigger in these cases is concerning. Unlike Ionization detectors, photoelectric smoke detectors are specifically designed to detect larger smoke particles, such as those produced by smoldering fires, which makes them generally more reliable for the types of scenarios you described (burning food, fireplace smoke, and a smoldering vacuum fire). However, several factors could explain why they didn’t activate, For instance Smoke doesn’t always rise straight up. If there is good ventilation, ceiling fans, or HVAC systems running, the smoke may be getting diluted before it reaches the detectors, Cooler smoke (like from a fireplace or smoldering fire) may stay low rather than rising, meaning it doesn’t reach ceiling-mounted detectors in sufficient concentration, If these detectors were more than a few years old, they may have become desensitized due to dust, insects, or internal contamination and pf course installation issues. While there are far more read the spec sheet. If concerning test and contact UL or other testing agencies.
Brett
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Ken
   I know for a fact that (at least) system sensor photoelectric smoke detectors will not see dark black smoke from a furnace flue. The black smoke entering the chamber does not reflect the photocell light into the light sensitive receiving diode and the smoke does not go into alarm. Just sits there happy, happy.
   First time it happened in a customer's house we thought it was the smoke detector and replaced it, but it happened there again with the furnace flue failing and filling the entire basement up with black smoke. We had this happen in a second location under the same circumstances with the dense black smoke and the system sensor detectors never picked up on it. These were both, oil fired furnaces. Not sure if Ionization detectors would make a difference. Scary, to say the least, and homeowners not happy.
   Hope this may open up some eyes to a huge potential problem.
Ralph Aiello
ESS
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Ken,
   I feel your pain. Its not color of smoke but temperature of smoke. I have had exactly the same two occurrences, multiple times in my 50 plus years of playing this game. Smoke does not rise. It falls. If you burn toast, it produces cold smoke. You can't see to walk through it but if you could get a ladder, you would find no smoke 2' down from the ceiling. I had one of my widow lady customers have a neighbor come over during a power outage to start a fire for her. He left and she went to sleep on the couch. She awoke to smoke through the whole downstairs. He hadn't properly opened the flu. The fire smothered and the smoke dropped back into the room. Soot everywhere. When the insurance company sent the cleaners, they found none above 2' down from the ceiling and none on the smoke detectors. Smoke rises when its is caught up in the fire thermals. Have fun explaining that to your customers.
Stan Corn
Alarms, Inc
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Ken
   Black smoke …. More particles
   White smoke …. Less particles
   Switch to ionization
   Nothing works since covid
Mike Ski

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Ken Kirschenbaum,Esq
Kirschenbaum & Kirschenbaum PC
Attorneys at Law
200 Garden City Plaza
Garden City, NY 11530
516 747 6700 x 301
ken@kirschenbaumesq.com
www.KirschenbaumEsq.com