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An Alarming Failure: How to Tell the Difference

So how can you tell which type of smoke detector you have in your home?

Take a look at your detector.

Ionization detectors may have a small "i" on the front or back. They also sometimes have a radioactive symbol -- or some sort of reference to radioactive material.

And if you have one near your kitchen, it probably tends to go off when you cook.

Photoelectric detectors usually have a small "p" on them. Or if you see the term "dual sensor," that means it contains both technologies.

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