When it comes to fire extinguishers at home, most people fall into one of two camps: “we’ve got one… somewhere” or “wait… do we even have one?” Obviously, the DRB Crew would much rather see you in the “I’ve got multiple extinguishers and I know where they are and what they are for” camp! To do that, you have to know:
- How many extinguishers do you need?
- What kind of extinguishers do you need?
- What size of extinguisher do you need?
- Where should you keep your extinguishers?
The reality is, having the right number of fire extinguishers of the right type placed in the right locations can be the difference between a small incident and a major loss!
How Many Extinguishers Do I Need in My Home?
Here’s the bad news, there is no one-size-fits-all, perfect number of extinguishers. But, a solid rule of thumb is at least one fire extinguisher per level of your home. From there, you’ll want to add extinguishers based on higher-risk areas. Common risks that raise your home’s fire hazard load are woodburning stoves, smokers, metalworking spaces, and automotive repair areas. You will also want extinguishers in any outbuildings you may have including garages, barns, and sheds.
For many households, that perfect number of extinguishers is a lot higher than you might’ve thought! Consider this, a standard ranch home with an attached garage and no special fire hazards would need 3 fire extinguishers. It breaks down like this:
- 1 extinguisher on the main floor
- 1 extinguishers in the basement
- 1 extinguisher in the garage
For additional levels and/or special hazards you simply add another extinguisher. That’s the basic “Fire Math.” If you want to take it up a notch, generally, you shouldn’t need to travel more than 75 feet between extinguishers on the same level. So, you’re lakefront mansion may need multiple extinguishers on each floor!
This might sound like overkill but, trust us, when seconds matter, you don’t want to be running across the house hunting for you’re one fire extinguisher! Remember, fires grow rapidly- a fire with ample fuel and air will typically double in size every 30-60 seconds.
What Kind of Extinguishers Do I Need at Home?
For most homes, the trusty ABC Dry Chemical extinguisher will do the job. This is sort of the “all-purpose” fire extinguishers; it covers a wide range of fire hazards including paper products, wood, oils, fuels, and some electronics and appliances.
Now, we mentioned special hazards or items around your home that can increase your home’s fire load, well sometimes those things also require special kinds of extinguishers! We’ve listed a few of the most common examples below:
- Metalworking (non-exotic metals) = Carbon Dioxide Extinguisher
- Metalworking (exotic metals) = Class D Extinguisher (specific to metals used)
- Woodburning Stove, Smoker, (some) Grills or Cookers = Water Extinguisher
- Sensitive Electronics (not Lithium-Ion based) = Clean Agent Extinguisher
- Antique or Show Automobiles = Carbon Dioxide Extinguisher (depending on type of vehicle)
Please note that you do NOT need to acquire a “Class K” or “kitchen rated” extinguisher for your home. These extinguishers are meant for commercial kitchen settings where large quantities of oils and fats are being used in proximity to high levels of heat and open flames.
We want to also warn you that, currently, there are no tested, certified extinguishers for use on Lithium-Ion battery related fires. For more information on LI fires please visit https://drbjwr.org/what-are-class-l-fire-extinguishers-a-guide-to-lithium-ion-battery-fire-protection/.
Not all special home hazards require a specialty extinguisher to put out the actual fire. Often times they are wanted due to their superior effectiveness or ease of clean up. But, it is important to note that specialty extinguishers are NOT designed to put out the vast range of fires that an ABC extinguisher will- they are designed to put out specific types of fires in specific ways only.
What Size Extinguishers Do I Need at Home?
You know what kinds of extinguishers you need and you know how many you want but, there’s one more piece of this whole home-fire-extinguisher puzzle: picking the right sizes for your extinguishers! In this case, size does matter; extinguishers come in a range of sizes from 2.5 pound all the way up to giant wheeled units.
Non-commercial ABC Dry Chemical extinguishers come in four standard sizes: 2.5, 5, 10, and 20 pound units. Now, that being said, this poundage refers to the amount of chemical in each extinguisher NOT the extinguishers overall weight. When it comes to the smaller extinguishers, like the 2.5 or 5 pound units, the difference between chemical weight and overall extinguisher weight isn’t so great. But, large units can have large discrepancies, for example a 20 pound extinguisher will have an actual overall weight of around 40 pounds or more! Specialty extinguishers each have their own, special, sizing but, as a general rule, they are somewhat larger than ABC extinguishers.
Consider the physical abilities of yourself and those living with you– can everyone really manage to carry something that weighs 40 pounds? For most people, the largest extinguishers are just not practical. Most homeowners will opt for either the 2.5 or 5 pound units. Obviously, the larger the extinguisher the more fire it can put out but that isn’t all you need to consider. Having an extinguisher capable of putting out a large fire isn’t helpful if no one can carry it to the fire!
You should also consider where this extinguisher might be placed. If it’s too large it could be in the way and get bumped into often, leading to damage. On the other hand, if it’s too small it could be hard to find in an emergency. That leads us into another great question…
Where Should I Put My Extinguisher in my Home?
In an ideal world, your fire extinguishers at home would be hung up on the wall just like in a business but… we know that’s not most folks’ idea of stylish decor! Short of that, here’s what you need to ensure when placing your extinguishers:
- First, that everyone in the household that should have access to this extinguisher has access to the area it will be kept in. For example, if you’re children aren’t expected or trained to use the extinguisher then it probably shouldn’t be stored in their bedroom or play area!
- Next, make sure you put extinguishers where they can be found in an emergency. As they say “out of sight out of mind.” Under the kitchen sink or buried behind the winter coats may keep from ruining your vibes but it also keeps it from being accessed in a timely fashion.
- Extinguishers shouldn’t be located too close to fire hazards. This means that your extinguisher doesn’t belong on top of the dryer or sitting next to the stove. You do not want to have fire in between you and your fire extinguisher!
With those three rules in mind, the best locations for extinguishers are:
- Nearby higher hazard areas like the laundry room or kitchen
- In your path of exit from these areas like the hallway or stairwell
- Near exit doors including overhead doors in garages, sheds, and barns
When placing your extinguishers you are really aiming to make them easy and fast to grab in the event of a fire. The best place for them in your home is wherever meets that criteria!
Key Takeaways for Home Fire Extinguishers
- Each level of your home including the basement should have an extinguisher. Garages and other outbuildings should also have extinguishers.
- Most homes will be well served by an ABC Dry Chemical extinguisher but those with special hazards may require a specialized extinguisher.
- Extinguishers should always be of a size that you and the members of your household can physically manage, usually this will be a 2.5, 5, or 10 pound unit.
- Keep your extinguishers accessible by exit doors near your homes highest fire risk areas.
Disclaimer: This blog post was created, in part, by AI.
