Should I have a fire extinguisher in my home?

9/29/2020 (Permalink)

A quick use of a fire extinguisher can suppress a small fire before it spreads throughout the home.

Home fire safety should start with a working smoke detector and a fire safety plan. If you already have those in your home, you may consider a fire extinguisher as the next step in fire preparedness.

A fire extinguisher works to put out a small fire by removing one of the three components of the fire triangle: heat, oxygen, and fuel. The most common fire extinguisher removes oxygen from a fire by smothering it in a dry chemical foam. In a way, it is a high-powered version of pouring baking soda on a grease fire, which makes it particularly relevant in the kitchen.

But if you’re going to invest in a fire extinguisher to help protect your home and family—which luckily isn’t a huge investment, with most home units coming in between $10 and $40—you don’t want a one-hit wonder. The National Fire Protection Association recommends a multipurpose extinguisher, which works to suppress fires from ‘ordinary combustibles,’ grease fires, and electrical fires. On the market, this translates to a fire extinguisher that is ABC rated. Units with these ratings can be found at almost any home improvement store.

Once again, having a working smoke detector in each room of your home should be your first priority in home fire preparedness. Two-thirds of home fire deaths occur in homes without working smoke alarms. The U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) recommends checking the batteries in your smoke detector once a month, changing them at least once a year, and replacing the unit altogether once it is 10 years old. Once you are confident with this routine, you can consider adding a fire extinguisher to your home arsenal!