So you thought with the advent of vaping your cannabis, you’d be able to do so indoors without setting off the fire alarm as you would have with your joints or bongs. Oh, how wrong you were! Vapes still set off the smoke alarm, even though it’s technically vapor, not smoke.
If you’re wondering why this happens, keep reading because we’ll discuss why vapor from vaporizers sets off fire alarms.
Whatever the case may be, whether you live in a house or an apartment building, you obviously don’t want the fire alarm going off every single time you take a hit off your favorite vape.
Luckily for you, there are some ways to mitigate this issue and vape inside without setting off the smoke alarm. Today, we’re going to provide you with all of the tips that you need to know to vape inside without setting off that pesky beeping noise.
Charged Blend (Candyland) - THCv, HHC, H4CBD, CBG - 2ml Vape Cartridge
Key Takeaways
- There are three main types of fire alarms, and two of them will most likely be set off by vaping indoors.
- How not to set off a smoke alarm with a vape – There are a number of pre-vaping precautions you can take to minimize this problem, as well as tips to follow during the vaping process to prevent the fire alarm from going off.
Looking for a new vape? Read our reviews of these Botany Farms Vapes, Delta Munchies Vapes, and Mellow Fellow Vapes.
Chemdog Vape Pen - HHC, THCP - Ape CBD Club
Understanding Smoke Alarms
As mentioned above, many people assume that vapor from their cannabis vaporizers won’t set off the fire alarm, but this is simply wrong. Vapes do set off fire alarms, and if you’re in any kind of public area, or somewhere like a hotel, or even live in an apartment building, then this can be very problematic.
What you need to know here is that there are three different types of fire alarms or smoke alarms, and two of them will be set off by your vape.
Heat Alarm
Seeing as there is one type that is unlikely to be set off by your vape, let’s cover this first, which is the heat alarm. Heat alarms activate due to a very drastic and rapid rise in temperature, as opposed to being set off by vapor or smoke. These are usually present in kitchens and other areas where steam and smoke may trigger false alarms. The temperature of vapor generally isn’t high enough to set these off.
Photoelectric/Optical Smoke Alarm
However, we then have the photoelectric or optical smoke alarm, which uses a light source and a sensor. If any kind of vapor or smoke enters the chamber, the light beam will be scattered, and some of that light will hit the sensor, which causes the alarm to go off. It does not take much vapor at all to set off one of these optical smoke alarms.
Ionization Smoke Alarm
We then have the ionization smoke alarm, which is generally the most common type. These contain a very minuscule amount of radioactive material, which ionizes the air inside of a sensing chamber. When vapor or smoke enters the chamber, the ionization process is disrupted, which triggers the alarm. Vapor from your cannabis vape sets off an ionization smoke alarm just like a fire or a cigarette would.
White Buffalo Vape Pen - THCA, D8 Blend - Disposable - 1800mg - Fresh - White Buffalo
Pre-Vaping Preparations
So you can vape inside without setting off your ionization or photoelectric smoke alarm. There are some great tips that you can follow, and they start before you begin vaping in the first place.
Choosing the Right Locations
One of the best things that you can do to vape indoors without setting off the smoke alarm is to choose the right area. First and foremost, this obviously means sitting as far away from smoke alarms as humanly possible.
Vapor dissipates fairly quickly, but if you’re too close to the smoke alarm, a large cloud can get inside of it and set it off. You wouldn’t set a fire right under a smoke alarm, so why would you vape under one?
If you have no choice but to vape in close proximity to fire alarms, your next best bet is to open up some windows and make sure that the area is well-ventilated.
Of course, going outside is the simplest solution here, but this isn’t always an option, or you might just not want to. Therefore, being in a room that has a bit of a cross breeze to pull the vapor away from the alarm is a good idea.
Click here to find the best Delta-8 Disposable Vape!
Delta Extrax / Premium HHC Vape Cartridge 1g
Controlling Your Vape Clouds
Aside from being in a well-ventilated area, controlling your vape clouds is another good idea. First and foremost, most vapes can be adjusted for temperature or voltage, and turning them down means that they won’t burn as hot.
If you turn the temperature or voltage down, much less vapor will be produced than if you were vaping at a higher temperature.
At the same time, there are plenty of devices and E-liquids out there that don’t produce as much vapor as others. Even if you do have a device that tends to produce a lot of vapor, turning the temperature down should still help a whole lot.
Some great options here include this Botany Farms Delta-8 Live Resin Cart, This Forbidden Live Resin THCV Vape Cart, and this Muha Meds Disposable 1 Gram White Walker Vape.
How to Vape Without Setting Off the Smoke Alarm?
So now you’ve made all of the necessary preparations, but you’re still worried about setting off the smoke alarm with the vapor. Luckily for you, there are some more tips you can follow to prevent this from happening.
Stealth Vaping Techniques
Some stealth vaping techniques can prevent your smoke alarm from going off, such as holding in the vapor for as long as possible. The longer you hold the vapor in for, the more it will dissipate in your lungs and be absorbed by them, so when you exhale, much less, if any, comes out.
This is also referred to as ghosting a hit, because you effectively turn it into an invisible ghost. This can, at times, be somewhat difficult however, because holding your breath with lungs full of vapor is not easy. Side note, this is a great way to get the most out of your cannabis vape, because you really get the full effect when you hold it in for so long.
People usually use stealth vaping when they’re trying to smoke discreetly in public or when they’re trying to hide their habit from their families, but it works fairly well for this use case as well.
This Cali Heights Dream Queen Vape, the Delta Munchies King Louis XIII THCP Vape, and this Delta Munchies Blueberry Faygo THCP Vape all make for great options for stealth vaping.
Airflow and Ventilation
One of the best things you can do on this front is to simply open a window and some doors. The more airflow and ventilation there is, the faster the vapor will disperse. You can also use some air fans or other ventilation systems to blow the vapor outdoors as quickly as possible.
Another option that you have at your disposal is to use an air purifier, as these are designed to absorb a variety of particles from the air.
If you want the air purifier to be as efficient as possible on this front, getting a HEPA air purifier is recommended, as these are special types of filters that are able to absorb a vast number of contaminants from the air. You may also get a carbon-based air purifier, as carbon blocks are great at absorbing odors and other airborne contaminants as well.
Introvert (King Louis) & Creativity (Blue Dream) - Live Resin 4ml Vape Cart Duo
Additional Precautions
If you don’t want the fire alarm to go off due to your vaping, there are yet some more precautions that you can take as well.
Temporary Smoke Alarm Covering
Before we even talk about how to do this, the folks at Vapes.com highly advise against tampering with smoke alarms in any way. These alarms are there to serve a very specific purpose, and tampering/covering them might hinder their ability to do that.
In no way do we recommend covering up or tampering with your smoke alarm, as it is a jailable offense to do so in the USA. If you choose to tamper with a smoke alarm, you would be doing so of your own volition.
Some people may choose to simply cover the smoke alarm, which works well for most types, except those that sense heat.
If you cover the smoke alarm with some kind of plastic bag or air proof sheet of sorts, it will prevent the vapor from getting into the alarm and setting it off. First off, you should not be doing this. But, even if you are, make sure you remove the covering after you’re done smoking. Once again, this really isn’t something you should do in any case, as it is both illegal and unsafe.
Testing Your Setup
If all else fails, and you just aren’t sure if any of your precautions are going to work, you can do a little test. Sit in the room and blow a bunch of big vapor clouds and see how effective your precautions are. If the smoke alarm doesn’t go off, then you’re in the clear, and if it does, you’ll need to take some additional precautions to the ones you’ve already taken.
Pure Clear / Blueberry Kush Indica Delta 8 Vape Cartridge 1 mL
Final Thoughts
The bottom line here is that no matter what you do, you might still set off the smoke alarm by vaping inside. However, with all of the precautions and tips that we’ve provided you with here today, you should be able to stop this problem in its tracks quite effectively. If you want to give it a try, check out this Mellow Fellow Green Crack Delta-8 Disposable Vape.
Vaping Without Setting Off Smoke Alarms: Frequently Asked Questions
Let’s quickly answer some of your most frequently asked questions about vaping without setting off smoke alarms.
Can Vape Smoke Set off Fire Alarms?
Yes, vape smoke can set off fire alarms. There are some alarms that are more/less sensitive to smoke, but generally, you will set off alarms with a vape.
What Type of Smoke Alarms Are Less Sensitive to Vape Smoke?
Those fire alarms that sense drastic increases in temperature are the least sensitive to vape smoke.
How Can I Minimize Vapor Production While Vaping?
The best way to minimize vapor production is by turning the temperature down and choosing liquids and devices that don't produce much vapor in the first place.
