What is a downside of ionization smoke detectors?

Ionization smoke detectors are known for their rapid response to flaming fires, which is largely due to their design that includes a small amount of radioactive material. However, one of the downsides of these detectors is their tendency to be more prone to false alarms compared to photoelectric detectors. This is because ionization detectors can easily be triggered by non-fire-related particles, such as cooking smoke or steam from a shower. These false alarms can lead to frustration and may result in complacency or the disabling of the smoke detector, which poses a significant safety risk in the event of a real fire.

In contrast, photoelectric detectors utilize a light source and a light sensor, which make them less susceptible to false alarms caused by ordinary household activities. Therefore, while ionization detectors can be effective for certain types of fires, their propensity to generate false alarms is a considerable downside that affects their reliability and overall effectiveness in a typical home environment.