Fire Gel

There are various ways to fight fires around your own home. Fire gels are popular options, and they tend to last longer than fire foams. You can even reignite their benefits to keep fighting against the fires.

How Long Do Fire Gels Last?

It is possible to get up to 36 hours out of a fire gel. That is under the perfect conditions, though. Realistically, the gel will lose its moisture content within six to eight hours, especially if it’s a hot and windy day.
Gels work through layers of slow-drying water-filled bubbles. It’s possible to get the water bubbles back by misting the gel with water.

Even when you’ve left the house, you can find that gels still work. Firefighters can set up a nozzle to a 30% fog pattern, which releases more moisture into the air and helps to reignite the gel.

How Fire Gels Are Made

A fire gel is made from either mineral or vegetable oil and then mixed with a surfactant and superabsorbent polymers. This forms a concentrate, which is then mixed together with water.

You can attach a garden hose to the system. While they work better at 100 psi, they will work with a normal garden hose, but the gel won’t get as wet.

Using the Fire Gel to Fight Fires

When spraying the gel, a water layer encapsulates in the polymers. Thicker layers will help to keep the gel moist to keep fighting fires. Of course, it just doesn’t spread as far then.

This is something that you can spray on the side of your house, including the glass windows. You’ll find that the gel sticks well, and is much better than many other options.

You can use this as a preventative method. Spray it on the flammable surfaces as the fire is coming toward you. Be careful when you do walk out of the house as it is very slippery.

Which Gels Should You Get?

The best option for a fire gel is Barricade. This was the original fire-blocking gel, and remains to be one of the best options. You’ll get a kit with an eductor that connects to your garden hose. In includes four gallons of the gel concentrate and will cover around 2,400 sq. feet for just $375.

Another option is FireIce, which is a pressure washer system. This is more expensive, coming in at $1,500 to $2,200.