What is an ionization smoke detector and how does it differ from other types of smoke detectors?

An ionization smoke detector is a type of smoke alarm that uses a small amount of radioactive material to ionize the air inside the detector. When smoke particles enter the detector, they disrupt the ionization process, triggering the alarm.

This type of smoke detector is more sensitive to fast-burning, flaming fires, but less sensitive to slow, smoldering fires. In comparison, photoelectric smoke detectors use a light beam to detect smoke particles, making them better at detecting slow, smoldering fires. Dual-sensor smoke detectors combine both ionization and photoelectric technologies for more comprehensive fire detection.