Yes I have 2 of them.
FYI you should turn over each of your fire extinguishers at least once every 6 months to keep them working right. That means pick it up, rotate it upside-down, and let the stuff inside slide to the top, then turn it back over. I learned this from a fire inspector that I had to guide through a datacenter once.
Piggybacking on this PSA to remind everyone;
- Attack the base of the fire, where the fuel source is. You need to break the fire triangle to stop the reaction, and drowning out oxygen is the easiest way.
- Each rated pound of fire extinguisher yields approximately one second of use. They go quickly when you’re fighting any fire, and even small fires fight back. 5lb is the minimum imo, look at any commercial setting where OSHA applies and it’s big 10-20lb tanks generally.
- Trainers advise to blow the whole extinguisher even if flames aren’t visible to prevent auto-ignition.
- You really, really want a hose on any extinguisher. Invert the extinguisher to get under a car/cabinet/low obstacle and the extinguisher is useless as the pressurized gas escapes, leaving behind the powder/foam/water that actually stops fire.
I have four fire extinguishers:
- One in the kitchen
- One in the basement
- One in my office (where I do stuff like soldering and 3D-printing)
- One mounted to the roll bar of my Miata (I ought to get some for my other cars, but haven't gotten around to making mounting brackets yet)
However, I never would've thought to check them (or turn them upside down to "fluff" them) without this post, so thanks!
I'm a professional fire performer, so I have four :P
(Admittedly two need refilling)
Those years of safety training finally paying off:
Do you know what types of fires your fire extinguisher is rated for? There are several different types. Most modern home fire extinguishers are rated for A (wood/paper), B (liquids like oil fires), and C (electrical), but you may have an older fire extinguisher or landlord who cheaped out on one that only works on some of those types.
If you have a fire that's based on metals (like fireworks) or exothermic chemical reactions, have a different fire extinguisher or call the fire department with special instructions.
Always remember the acronym PASS when using a fire extinguisher:
- Pull the pin
- Aim at the base of the fire
- Squeeze the trigger
- Sweep the fire extinguisher side to side to cover all of the fire till the fire is extinguished
Fire blankets are good to have as well
Permanently Deleted
I've never had to directly deal with a fire, but after an incident where a roommate took the only extinguisher in the house when he moved out and an electrical short from an old crappy dimmer switch, I'm big on having a couple on-hand.
I also have way too many hobbies involving stuff that can easily catch fire and they're so cheap that I have multiple on each floor. 2 on the upper floor where my sim-rig, 3D printers, reloading supplies, and electronics soldering bench are. One in the kitchen and one in the master bedroom. 2 in the garage (excluding the one that's mounted in my old MG), and finally one in the basement since there's basically nothing down there.
2 here, still full, and thanks for the reminder to check!
I do, bought it when I bought my 3D printer.
Yup, one for every floor!
I have one in my car, I check it every 6 months. I was trained to do full inspections and repairs at my last job. I only have a fire blanket in the house though.
Probably yes, and probably not
One 2.5 in each bedroom, a 5 in the kitchen and a 5 in the rest of the downstairs, a 10 and a 20 in the garage, and then a 20 CO2 for my servers.
Yes. Also have a fire blanket in the kitchen in case of grease fire.
Not really, my family looked at me like i was mad when i suggested it. Got an out of date powder extinguisher from Volvo tho. Seems to be intact
Yes and yes
Yes, 4 easily accessible in various locations in the house and 1 in the garage. I check them all when I change out the batteries on my smoke alarms, which I do all at once when one starts to chirp.
One for every room I intent for humans to survive in, plus one in each car. Also recently upgraded to hardwired CO/smoke detectors and each bedroom also has a combination alarm that uses Z-Wave to alert me anywhere, just as a backup. Also, we practice fire and earthquake drills monthly, along with a couple of other scenarios that are more rare/less dangerous.
Yes I fire extinquisher in my home all the time
Not directly in my home, but there‘s one in the stairway
Yes; yes.
I have 2. One in the kitchen and one in the garage. It's a cheap insurance
I have a few in the house and one in the car. I just updated the batteries in all my smoke and carbon monoxide alarms too.
One in the kitchen. One in living room next to the fireplace.
Yes and yes, bought it for PCB rework but in general we should all have them.
I have five! And I just checked them as part of my semi yearly maintenance.
Kitchen under stove, laundry room by dryer (wife and kids refuse to empty lint trap, smdh), one each by both furnaces (different parts of the basement), and one in the garage.
Never had to use one, hope to never have to.
Yeah, three. One in the kitchen, one at the bottom of my basement stairs, and one in my laundry room.
I do and I get it checked and retagged every year.
Yes, and yes, that's what maintainence is for.
no, because my family insists it's not worth it.
Yes, one in the basement and one in the kitchen
Yeah, 4. Bought when we bought the house. Kitchen, bedroom, garage, and living roon where the wood stove is. Little one-time use ones in basement and kitchen again.
