Poor ratings follow smoke alarm testing

Only two of 21 smoke alarms recently tested by the Consumers' Institute have been recommended by Consumer magazine.

The test results showed the most common type of smoke alarm sold gave poor protection from smouldering fires and there was a big difference in smoke levels that triggered various alarms.

Consumer said the most common type of smoke alarms sold were ionisation models, which were quite poor at detecting smoke from smouldering fires.

Such fires often contained dangerous toxic gases which could build up and incapacitate people sleeping.

The second type - photoelectric alarms - sensed smoke in a different way and were better at detecting smoke from smouldering fires.

Both were considered about equal when it came to detecting naked flame fires.

While such information was commonly available and often visible on packaging, consumers had historically gone for the cheaper ionisation alarms.

Consumer said prices between the two had recently started coming into line with each other.

Prices of the models tested ranged from $9 to $103.

The $103 model, a Clipsal 755SMA ionisation model, rated more poorly than all others.

The only two to get recommendations from Consumer were both photoelectric and cost $34 (First Alert SA710) and $101 (Clipsal 755PSMA).

- NZPA