For many vapers who like to use their device in their own homes they are faced with the question of does their e-ciggy set off fire alarms? It’s not an entirely easy question to answer and unless you want to have a false alarm and potentially get a fine, trial and error probably isn’t the best technique.
You’d think that since e-ciggies produce vapour and not smoke they won’t set off the smoke detector right? Generally that is the case and correct but does not apply to every situation. There are 3 main types of detectors and their ability to detect vapour depends upon their model.
Heat alarms
These types of devices are used the least and have the lowest capability of detecting vapour. Thy are commonly found in the kitchen of homes and are set off after they reach a certain temperature rather than a level of smoke. When you vape you aren’t producing any heat so there should be little no problem for you to vape around these types of alarms.
Photoelectric detectors
Photoelectric detectors are the most common variant and have the highest chance of being set off by someone vaping. These alarms use optical beams of light to detect the amount of smoke within their vicinity. If there is enough in the area the beam will be broken which in turn triggers the alarm.
While there is lower chance of vapour setting of these alarms compared to smoke, it is still possible and should definitely be considered. If there is a considerable amount of vapour for the beam to break, the alar will trigger disregarding the fact that it’s vapour and not smoke.
Ionisation detectors
To summarise how these alarms work, they work with radioactive material that is in between two plates that are electrically charged. The air within the device ionises and generates a current. If this current breaks from smoke particles the alarm will trigger and sound the tone.
Since these alarms work on a particle level, they are very susceptible to any change in the environment. Since e-ciggies produce vapour and not smoke it is not likely that they will set off these types of alarms but some users have reported that they do.
Vaping around a smoke detector
While there are no firms rules or regulations around vaping near a smoke detector, it is important to consider that some alarms may be triggered. You should analyse your situation and decide what you do based off the context of the situation. If you are blowing a lot of thick clouds in a crowded area near a smoke alarm, chances are you will set it off. Not vaping in these situations removes the likelihood completely of triggering a false alarm and potentially losing yourself a lot of money.
If you are in your own home on the other hand or in a room where the smoke alarm is quite far away, blowing your vapour away from it should have no effect on it at all. Keeping your vapour away from it as well as knowing the sensitivity of the device are very important in knowing how likely it is that it will be set off.
If you are in an area that prohibits smoking of all kinds it is best to follow the regulations and rules and not vape at all.
Hopefully these tips have solved a few questions you may have and given you some insight into using your e-ciggy around a smoke alarm. In the situations where you are unsure don’t vape, do it outside to avoid any unnecessary consequences.
Dan Jones was born and raised in Australia. Dan covers stories related to vaping at Kev’s Vape.
