Home fire extinguisher

[WESnIL]

I am a novice at best but I'm considering a couple of fire extinguishers in the house. My thought is one just off the kitchen (The hallway from the kitchen to the garage has the washer and dryer as well as a clothes closet and a half bath.) and one in the attached garage. Enlighten and educate me on my idea please.

 

[maqbill]

I keep one in the kitchen, one in the basement, and one in the garage. Hang them where they're handy.

 

[scootergmc]

Nothing wrong with that. The only suggestion I have is mounting the one in the garage so it never moves, never gets covered up, so you know where it is all the time- muscle memory. Oh yeah, I like to keep it away from likely fire sources too (water heater, furnace, fuel storage, etc.) so you can get to it. The one in the house we keep very near, but not in the kitchen.

 

[urbancase]

Depending on floor plan and levels. Minimum 1 per level ABC dry chemical, and one to be able to get to it less than 75 feet. By the way I get 10 lbs extinguisher. That way you covered.

 

[mjsnodgrass]

I am a novice at best but I'm considering a couple of fire extinguishers in the house. My thought is one just off the kitchen (The hallway from the kitchen to the garage has the washer and dryer as well as a clothes closet and a half bath.) and one in the attached garage. Enlighten and educate me on my idea please.

i mount my extinguishers near the door of the area they are in. in my mind, people leaving the room or people entering the room should be able to find them easily. most of the extinguishers i have are halon. i don't think i can refill them any longer. the ones that have lost pressure i have recharged with the new equivalent of halon. i had a shop fire xmas day 1976. lost everything

 

[Ray,IN]

Anything less than a 20# extinguisher is meant to suppress a fire until you can get away, it it puts out the fire while you are exiting-great, but that is not the original design purpose.

 

[sms]

Good idea. Keep them where they are accessible and everyone knows where they are. I never needed one until a few years ago then had two instances working on machines, the one in my truck helped tremendously each time.

 

[timcasbolt]

I have one near the kitchen stove and one near my bed. In the shop I have one near each door.

 

[Eman85]

Can't have too many. Shop has the big ones near each door and one at the rear near the workbench. House has them in the kitchen and bedrooms. Every vehicle has them and I do still need to mount one on my tractor.
Also need to have a preplan. My kids still remember the pre-plan and where the meeting place is in case of a fire or emergency. Meeting place is important, many have run back into a burning house looking for someone that has already made it out.

 

[drsportster]

Welding requires 20 lb ,minimum

 

[flying belgian]

All my rentals get inspected by fire marshal every 3 years. They tell me every time that 90% of house fires start in kitchen and 90% of kitchen fires start on the stove top.

 

[buickanddeere]

I am a novice at best but I'm considering a couple of fire extinguishers in the house. My thought is one just off the kitchen (The hallway from the kitchen to the garage has the washer and dryer as well as a clothes closet and a half bath.) and one in the attached garage. Enlighten and educate me on my idea please.

A 2-1/2 gallon pressurized water Class A extinguisher with dome soap/AFFF Will knock down and extinguish class ABC fires in homes and shops . That a class B or Class C will only make a mess as the fire continues to burn .
The only advantage of a class B or C is that they don’t freeze in winter .

 

[m16ty]

I have the ABC extinguishers but I also like to have a water extinguisher handy. If it's just something small the water works great, those chemical extinguishers make a big mess when water will work. Also, chemical extinguishers are expensive compared to water. On all my water ones you just refill them with water and air them up via a Shrader valve.

Another thing I learned from a fireman buddy awhile back is once a chemical extinguisher gets so old, even if it still has a good charge, it won't work. What happens is the chemical gets compacted in the bottom of the canister and won't come out when you need it. He said you can go around every so often, turn them upside down and give them a good shake to prolong their life, but who can remember to do that? I know after he told me that I checked one in my shop I had for a long time. The pressure was still good put when you turn it upside down you can feel that all the chemical is compacted in the bottom. I worked with it quite a while and never did get it to break loose.

 

[flying belgian]

I have the ABC extinguishers but I also like to have a water extinguisher handy. If it's just something small the water works great, those chemical extinguishers make a big mess when water will work. Also, chemical extinguishers are expensive compared to water. On all my water ones you just refill them with water and air them up via a Shrader valve.

Another thing I learned from a fireman buddy awhile back is once a chemical extinguisher gets so old, even if it still has a good charge, it won't work. What happens is the chemical gets compacted in the bottom of the canister and won't come out when you need it. He said you can go around every so often, turn them upside down and give them a good shake to prolong their life, but who can remember to do that? I know after he told me that I checked one in my shop I had for a long time. The pressure was still good put when you turn it upside down you can feel that all the chemical is compacted in the bottom. I worked with it quite a while and never did get it to break loose.

First experience I had with a water one is on the Vermeer baler I bought last winter. Filled and aired it up this spring. I don't remember how many gallons it held.Month ago I emptied it for the winter by spraying it out on ground. I was shocked how much of a stream that thing expelled. Seems like it will match the stream of our fire dept. pumper truck. Well I guess I'm exaggerating but it is impressive.

 

[buickanddeere]

I have the ABC extinguishers but I also like to have a water extinguisher handy. If it's just something small the water works great, those chemical extinguishers make a big mess when water will work. Also, chemical extinguishers are expensive compared to water. On all my water ones you just refill them with water and air them up via a Shrader valve.

Another thing I learned from a fireman buddy awhile back is once a chemical extinguisher gets so old, even if it still has a good charge, it won't work. What happens is the chemical gets compacted in the bottom of the canister and won't come out when you need it. He said you can go around every so often, turn them upside down and give them a good shake to prolong their life, but who can remember to do that? I know after he told me that I checked one in my shop I had for a long time. The pressure was still good put when you turn it upside down you can feel that all the chemical is compacted in the bottom. I worked with it quite a while and never did get it to break loose.

In the nuclear industry. Part of the monthly class ABC extinguisher call up . Is to turn the dry chem unit upside down . Then tap against the floor until the powder clumped inside would drop. .
Prior to use we were also supposed to turn the extinguisher upside down and thump it .

 

[Charles in Aus.]

Consider a fire suppression blanket for the kitchen and work areas . They very effectively smother oil and fat cook top fires and are excellent for clothing fires .

 

[showcrop]

43 year firefighter here. Our insurance company was VERY specific that they wanted a 10BC by the kitchen stove. In other locations a 20BC is much better, and you want them by the doors. As B&D posted a 2.5 gal can or APW as called in the fire service is highly recommended. I'll bet that world wide they put out far more fires than fire engines do because they get used when the fire is still small. I put out plenty of fires with the one that I carried in my truck, just because of quick arrival. As others have posted you fill with water, add just a little dish soap, and air it up.

 

[Southern Ray]

In the nuclear industry. Part of the monthly class ABC extinguisher call up . Is to turn the dry chem unit upside down . Then tap against the floor until the powderc clump inside would drop. .
Prior to use we were also supposed to turn the extinguisher upside down and thump it .

I have a rubber mallet I use to thump the bottom end once a year.

 

[Ultradog MN]

The Navy REALLY drilled it into our heads about fire safety and early suppression.
Some things stick with you...
We have one in the pantry off the kitchen and I have two in the garage - one in my office and one by the welder. All are the same ABC type.
Oh, and one in the camper too.

 

[Tony in SD]

I am a novice at best but I'm considering a couple of fire extinguishers in the house. My thought is one just off the kitchen (The hallway from the kitchen to the garage has the washer and dryer as well as a clothes closet and a half bath.) and one in the attached garage. Enlighten and educate me on my idea please.

Your local Fire Chief and/or Fire Marshall will be more than happy to help you with your fire plan much better than most on here, including me.