> Most home systems use ionic detection, which is better for large particulates. ... Photoelectric detectors are better for detecting small particulates - the s

> Most home systems use ionic detection, which is better for large particulates. ... Photoelectric detectors are better for detecting small particulates - the smoke before the fire - and they are less prone to false alarms. Other way around. Ionization detectors are more sensitive to small particles, while photoelectric detectors are more sensitive to large particles. Large fires tend to burn "cleanly," producing smoke particles that are not too visible. While smoldering fires tend to produce lots of visible smoke -- the type that a photoelectric detector will identify. https://www.firemarshals.org/rfsi/smokealarmfacts.html https://www.firemarshals.org/rfsi/smokealarmfacts.html