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What is the difference between Thermoptek and optical alarms?

General

23 April 2026

Standard optical alarms use a single light-scatter sensor to detect smoke particles. Thermoptek adds a thermal sensor that monitors heat changes, allowing the alarm to respond to both slow-smouldering and fast-flaming fires and reducing false alarms from steam or cooking fumes. See our guide on what smoke alarm should I buy for a full comparison.

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