Fire Extinguishers
While you will do what you can to make your home safe in a structural sense and you’ll have a fire evacuation plan, you’ll also need to be ready to put out fires. Some fires start small and can be suppressed quickly, as long as you have the right tools. Fire extinguishers are a must.
Have Multiple Fire Extinguishers Around the House
Getting one isn’t going to be enough. Sure, it’s great for the kitchen, you need something for upstairs and even in the basement. You’ll want at least one on each level. You’ll also want them in each vehicle you have and an extra one in the garage.
The more the better, but you don’t want all the same type of fire extinguishers. Each room is going to attract a different type of fire, and you need to be ready for it all.
The Type of Fire Extinguishers Needed
If you are in the Red Zone, you’ll want several extinguishers specifically for wood and grass fires. In the kitchen, it needs to be capable of putting out grease fires without splashing. Look at Kidde FX10K or the Alert Kitchen for this. The extinguishers are under $30.
In other rooms, look out for multipurpose extinguishers. The Kidde FA110 is a great one for cars and most locations in the house. The garage will need a larger version of it, so you’re looking at paying around $60 for this one. A garage fire spreads fast and is dangerous, especially with a car and other fuel-powered items around.
Many extinguishers will emit a dry chemical that creates a thin layer of dust to block the oxygen. Others can emit a foam. They do end up causing mess afterward, but it’s worth it to stop the fire in its tracks.
You’ll see classifications written on fire extinguishers. 1-A is one of the most common, and it means that it will place a gallon of water onto a wood fire. If you see 4-A, that’s four gallons of water. Anything below 10 is going to be fine for most house fires.
Have different sizes of fire extinguishers around the house. A small one that sits under the sink could be great for a kitchen grease fire, but you need a much larger one for the garage.
You can upgrade your own extinguishers. You can convert a water can into a compressed air foam extinguisher. The latter is five times more effective, but it is expensive. Use 1 gallon of water with 1 ½ cups of dish soap and 1 cup of glycerin to create your own foam. You can also use 2.5 gallons of fire gel to create an effective fire extinguisher.
Inspect your fire extinguishers yearly to make sure they have adequate pressure. You’ll also want to look out for any expiration dates on them. Many fire extinguishers are only good for 10 years.