What type of smoke detector is more effective at detecting smoldering fires?

Photoelectric smoke detectors are particularly effective at detecting smoldering fires, which typically produce a large amount of smoke with relatively low heat. These detectors use a light source and a sensor; when smoke enters the detection chamber, it disrupts the light beam, signaling an alarm. Since smoldering fires often release dense smoke before they become more intense, photoelectric detectors are well-suited for recognizing this type of fire early on.

In contrast, ionization smoke detectors are generally better at detecting fast, flaming fires due to their design, which reacts quickly to the particles produced by combustion. Heat detectors function on temperature changes, making them less responsive to smoke. Multisensor detectors combine both ionization and photoelectric technologies, offering a broader range of detection, but the specific capability of photoelectric detectors to identify smoldering fires is what distinguishes them in this context.