Will the vapor from the e-cigarette set off the fire alarm? This is a question that often comes up on user forums both in Sweden and internationally. And the answer is far from obvious.
Updated May 2023.
When some schoolchildren recently vejpook one of school toilets, the fire alarm went off. It's not the first time this has happened and, as usual, it made headlines in the media. According to the school's principal, it costs thousands of kronor per alarm triggered, a sum that can now be passed on to the students who cause an alarm after blowing steam with an e-cigarette.
But how common is it for e-cigarette vapor to set off fire alarms? And what should 1TP8 users consider if they use e-cigarettes indoors? Karl-Åke Johansson is chairman of the user association NNA Sweden, an organization working for a better understanding of vejpning as a technology and phenomenon.
"This is actually quite a common question on our forums and can obviously cause some problems, even among older vejp users. Because even if it's not smoke coming out of the e-cig, it doesn't mean you should be careless around smoke alarms" says Karl-Åke Johansson.
Older alarms do not respond
So the vapor from e-cigarettes can trigger fire alarms. But this is far from a given and depends on a few crucial factors: the amount of vapor and the type of alarm device that is installed.
Older smoke alarms usually do not react to the steam. These smoke alarms are usually called ionizing alarms with sensors that measure it electrical resistance in the air, which is caused by fire smoke (the smoke from a cigarette, for example). They do not detect the vapor from e-cigarettes, as this does not come from burnt material and does not affect air quality in the same way.
Modern alarms go off
Modern devices, on the other hand, known as optical alarms, work in a different way. These alarms have a sensor that reads, or rather "sees", the environment and therefore reacts to both vapor and smoke, regardless of the source. If someone vejpar and blows out a large cloud in the vicinity of an optical smoke alarm, the alarm may go off.
"If you are going to vejpa indoors, it is important to first find out which fire alarm is installed. If it is a modern alarm, you should be careful. In private contexts, you can get by by applying so-called "stealth" vejpning." says Karl-Åke Johansson.
Stealth vejpa - sneaking with the steam
Stelth-vejpa, or stealthvejpa, is a technique that involves holding the vapor in the lungs long enough for the vapor to be absorbed by the body or mixed with air until it is barely visible. But it is a technique that requires practice, says Karl-Åke Johansson.
"It requires you to take short bursts and not use too much power. It's not recommended for beginners, but it works if you know what you're doing. However, in public places where smoking is prohibited, you should absolutely refrain. There you should use chewing gum, snuff, nicotine pouches or simply bite down until the opportunity arises." says Karl-Åke Johansson.
Yes, you can also vejpa with just propylene glycol, mix it yourself or buy JacVapours Clear steam or Swag Jus. Aspire Mynus is also an excellent little gadget that works well on long train rides and the like.
Yes, "normal" vejpning or heat-not-burn for that matter, i.e. not so-called "cloud chasing" never triggers any fire alarms, that is my experience after eight years when I have vejpat at my home, with friends or in hotel rooms🙂 You can also see for yourself that the small amount of vapor that a small MTL tank or pod produces dissolves in a few seconds and in addition, the vapor has no tendency to rise upwards as fire smoke has.