For most people, smoke detectors are simply taken for granted. But, when it's time to replace your smoke detectors, be sure to understand the difference between the two main types. Ionization types use a battery to create a small current that charges the ion particles inside the detector. If that current is disrupted by smoke, an alarm is triggered. Though they are designed to detect all types of smoke, they tend to be more sensitive to smoke from fast-flaming fires, such as