Fire Extinguisher advice

[Jim & Lil]

Hello and thanks for reading this.

I have a 2600 sq foot home (4 level split) with two wood burning fireplaces and have ZERO fire extinguishers in the entire house. I want to buy some and would like to know what size and type to buy.... for the kitchen.... furnace area.........perhaps master bedroom if I wake up and smell smoke? I am also thinking of putting one in the double attached garage as a vehicle could combust in there...I dunno....any suggestions? Thanks in advance for any replies....Jim

[Jim & Lil]

Sorry group....should have changed that to OT as it really has nothing to do with house 'repairs"

[Speedy Jim]

(I think it's "On" Topic.)

There is a danger in obsessing about fire extinguishers: In the event of a fire one tends to focus on extinguishing and forgets about

1) Call 911 2) Get everyone the hell out

That said, I'm in favor of handy extinguishers.

This may sound excessive, but I have rigged up a 50 foot garden hose on a reel in the basement. The end of the hose protrudes thru a hole in the floor on the 1st floor, ready to be pulled to the fire in any room on that floor. (There is a remote- operated ball valve to charge the hose.)

We're in a remote area where immediate fire response can't be assured.

Still, I'm leary of getting sucked into fighting a fire (even a small one) rather than getting out.

Jim

[wayne]

I would have an extinguisher for each area but remember don't but the unit next to the wood stove since if there is a fire you won't be able to get near it!. Car fires if really small can be put out pretty easy. Just remember fires like oxygen So opening a door to get to the fire can cause it to leap! Make sure you have smoke and CO detectors that work! Call 911 and make sure they can FIND your house!

If possible don't store gasoline in your garage. If you have any ammunition store that in as safe a place as possible and LET the fire department know where the stuff is located. The same for propane tanks!

Wayne

[SQLit]

three small ABC types, like you would have in a car. One by the fireplaces and one in the kitchen.

Smoke detectors in each room where there is flame tied to the ones near the bedrooms. So you will hear them. If you have wee ones practice fire drills every month. Until they know what to do.

Like the other poster said people obsess about them and their true value.

I heard in a home fire if you do not get out in 2 minutes you don't.

[(none)]

Speedy Jim wrote in news: [e-mail]:

What do you do about electrical fires or fires that have burned through the insullation on live wires? Or grease fires? The OP should check up on A B C ratings. Don't forget to shake the powder-type extinguishers occasionally.

.

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[Speedy Jim]

Yep, got alternate extinguishers where water is inappropriate. Jim

[Nick Hull]

The hose is excellent, it's a fire extinguisher that never goes dry. Water is actually OK for most electric fires; it may not put it out (that requires disconnecting the power) but it prevents the fire from spreading. If you have well water, consider the size of your accumulator - it's how much water you have when your power fails or has to be turned off (if you started with it full).

Also consider the flares you light and toss into a wood stove to put out chimney fires. You need at least one for each stove and one extra!

[Phisherman]

I had a home safety inspection and got a "thumbs up" for having a fire extinguisher in the kitchen, garage, and basement. Not nearly as good as a sprinkler system, but better than none at all. Your local FD will give sound advise.

[Phisherman]

My mother kept an open box of baking soda handy in the kitchen for stove/broiler fires. Great for small grease fires.

[Tracey]

We have a small fire extinguisher rated for all fire types (ABC I think its called) in the kitchen, one near each of our two fireplaces, one in the garage and one in the basement near the furnace.

I think it is smart to have one on each level of the home and in the garage as well.

[Ron]

You want a fire extinguisher rated ABC. A is for paper and wood; B is for liquid fires like oil, gasoline, paints and paint thinners; and C is for electrical. Check your hardware store.

Call fire dept first, then use the extinguisher if your safety is not jeopardized.

[hornetd]

fireplaces and have ZERO fire extinguishers in the entire house. I want to buy some and would like to know what size and type to buy.... for the kitchen.... furnace area.........perhaps master bedroom if I wake up and smell smoke? I am also thinking of putting one in the double attached garage as a vehicle could combust in there...I dunno....any suggestions? Thanks in advance for any replies....Jim

Jim I would make two suggestions.

Go the distance and get a cartridge operated ABC fire extinguisher. The ten pound size can be handled easily by most folks and it will knock down a lot of fire. Both Ansul and General make cartridge operated extinguishers. One tremendous advantage of the cartridge type is that you can buy an extra cartridge and a supply of powder and place the unit back in service immediately after use. These extinguishers are not cheap but they may be worth it to you.

Buy at least one pump tank type extinguisher. These can be refilled from any water source and they can be refilled while being used. They are available in a cylindrical tank model with the pump in the tank and as a back pack that can be used while moving. These are especially valuable if your home is in an area that is subject to wild fires. Since their function can be tested without special tools or skills they do not need professional servicing.

[Tom Horne]

Jim I would make two suggestions.

Go the distance and get a cartridge operated ABC fire extinguisher. The ten pound size can be handled easily by most folks and it will knock down a lot of fire. Both Ansul and General make cartridge operated extinguishers. One tremendous advantage of the cartridge type is that you can buy an extra cartridge and a supply of powder and place the unit back in service immediately after use. These extinguishers are not cheap but they may be worth it to you.

Buy at least one pump tank type extinguisher. These can be refilled from any water source and they can be refilled while being used. They are available in a cylindrical tank model with the pump in the tank and as a back pack that can be used while moving. These are especially valuable if your home is in an area that is subject to wild fires. Since their function can be tested without special tools or skills they do not need professional servicing.

-- Tom H

[Jim & Lil]

Many thanks to all the replies... I am going to buy a few ABC type and a water type for the fireplaces Thanks again....Jim

[Jeff Cochran]

Most fire departments will do safety inspections and make suggestions. Always dial 911 before fighting the fire, and if it's bigger than your head, get out of the house.

That said, general purpose ABC extinguishers will do fine in all those areas.

Jeff

[Stormin Mormon]

That opens up a lot of interesting questions.

What part of the country? If it's a dry climate, it would be good to have a garden hose or water extinguisher for outdoor fires. Garden sprayers are much better than nothing.

What kind of fires are common? The only time I really needed an extinguisher was when I had some gasoline catch fire on a lawn mower. My fault.

Is the fellow (or anyone in the house) a smoker? If so, then a water extg can be a good idea, as smokers fires often start in bedding, and furniture.

In any case, the old standards still apply. Get the people out of the fire building. Call FD. Don't let the fire get between you and your exit. Shoot fast and bug out.

I'm a bit of a junk collector. I've got probably six extinguishers of various type in my trailer.

If I had only one, I'd choose a 10 pound ABC chemical.

[Rex B]

| Hello and thanks for reading this. | | I have a 2600 sq foot home (4 level split) with two wood burning |fireplaces and have ZERO fire extinguishers in the entire house. I want to |buy some and would like to know what size and type to buy.... for the |kitchen.... furnace area.........perhaps master bedroom if I wake up and |smell smoke? I am also thinking of putting one in the double attached garage |as a vehicle could combust in there...I dunno....any suggestions? Thanks in |advance for any replies....Jim

Surprised no one has mentioned Halon. while they can no longer be manufactured (the Halon itself) because it is a CFC, you can still find the extinguishers. The advantage is it snuffs the fire without damaging the property. Preferred for race cars where a powder extinguisher can ruin a $10K engine, they were also once popular for kitchen fires since it didn't ruin the kitchen.

I'd be tempted to keep one in the kitchen at least, probably in the garage.

There is also a water-based chemical called Cold Fire that you can mix yourself and recharge extinguishers. Better knockdown than water but doesn't have the damaging effect of powder.

Submitted for the sake of completeness. Best possible equipment would be cheap if ever needed. Rex in Fort Worth