Isegi keemilise kustutamise korral on lühikese aja jooksul pärast tühjendusimpulssi periood, mille jooksul halogeenkustutega Geigeri toru muutub tundetuks ega suuda seega ajutiselt tuvastada ühegi uue ioniseeriva osakese saabumist (nn surnud aeg; tavaliselt 50 mikrosekundit kuni100 mikrosekundit).
Even with chemical quenching, for a short time after a discharge pulse there is a period during which the halogen-quench Geiger tube is rendered insensitive and is thus temporarily unable to detect the arrival of any new ionizing particle (the so-called dead time; typically 50 microseconds to 100 microseconds).
