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An ionising smoke detector is best at warning about fires that quickly ignite, for example if you have grease on the stove that starts to burn. However, it is not as fast at warning about smouldering fires. The disadvantage of an ionising smoke alarm is that it has a radioactive source, and therefore needs to be recycled at an approved location.
An optical smoke detector effectively detects smouldering fires, such as smoke from an overheated mobile charger or a candle igniting a curtain. Unlike an ionising smoke detector, it contains no radioactive waste, which makes it an environmentally friendly choice.
It is recommended that you have a smoke detector on each floor. If the floor is larger than 60 square metres, you should have several, and they should not be more than 12 metres apart.
If you need several smoke alarms, it is a good idea to choose those that you can connect in a series. Then all of them will sound the alarm if one of them detects smoke somewhere. They can be crucial for you being able to raise the alarm in time.
A connected smoke alarm can alert the fire brigade even if you are not at home, which provides extra security.
Here is a guide with more information about smoke detectors and how to use them.
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