We will continue to research and present products available on the marketplace that increase the safety of your family and home.

First, a list of smoke alarm and fire extinguisher manufacturers. These products are available in hardware and home improvement stores as well as auto parts shops, or over the Internet.

Smoke Alarm Manufacturers

Kidde   /   kidde.com

EiElectronics   /   eielectronics.com

BRK Electronics   /   brkelectronics.com

Firex   /   firexsafety.com

Fire Control Instruments   /   firecontrolinstruments.com

Jarden Consumer Solutions   /   firstalert.com

Monitronics   /   monitronics.com

Fire Extinguisher Manufacturers

Kidde   /   kidde.com

BRK Electronics   /   brkelectronics.com

Jarden Consumer Solutions   /   firstalert.com

Brooks Equipment Co., Inc.   /   brooksequipment.com

Ansul   /   ansul.com

H3R Performance   /   h3rperformance.com

Amerex Corp.   /   amerexfire.com

Buckeye Fire Equipment Co.   /   buckeyef.com

Getz Mfg.   /   getzmfg.com

Consumer Products

Tree Shield, available through Fire Safety Products Online

Local news shows always bring out the film of Christmas trees virtually exploding when exposed to flame. It’s the fire department’s way of scaring us all into safe and sane Christmas tree practices. If you’ve read the tips on Holiday fire safety and incorporated them into your holiday tradition, but still can’t get that explosive image out of your head, try Tree Shield as extra insurance. Tree Shield offers flame resistant protection for a tree up to 7-feet tall, is safe and easy to apply.

Fireproof Boxes, Fire Safes and Fire Data Safes

We all have “important papers” that would be difficult to replace: birth certificates, marriage licenses, divorce decrees, plus financial and insurance documents. These are the things we’ll realize we left behind when it’s too late to do much more than worry. You can stash them in a safety deposit box in a bank or provide similar protection in your home with a fireproof box or safe. What you need to look for is the time and temperature rating on these safes. For instance, a MerloSafe model is rated at 2-hours at 1880 degrees with a 30-foot drop impact test. That latter rating is based on the possibility that the floor under the safe will collapse in the event of a fire. A safe that can withstand high temperatures over the duration of a fire and the aftermath wouldn’t do much good if it fell to your basement and broke apart or cracked. Another consideration is what you need protecting: paper documents, electronically stored data or both. Some safes and fire boxes will protect paper but would not be appropriate for discs or CDs.

Fire Escape Ladders

Again, you have a choice, especially from companies like FireEscape Systems that offers 55 different sizes and 12 different models. The determining factor is the age and mobility of those who will have to use it in an emergency. Some examples include chain rung ladders that hook over the window sill and allow for exit from 2- through 5-story structures. Interior permanent ladders are bolted to the floor directly below the window; exterior permanent ladders mount beneath the exterior window, are enclosed in a case unfolding when the case latch is released.

Building Materials

You’ll find a number of home construction, or retrofit, tips on our Wildland Fire Safety pages. The following products range from materials used in the construction of your home or applied after the fact.

Intumescent Caulkis a water-based sealant avalable through Net-TECH Distributing. The caulk seals openings where building services (pipes or cables) penetrate fire-rated assemblies.

NSi FireStop Silicon, a primerless, single component sealant designed for use in joint and service penetration firestop configurations, forming a watertight bond. Also available in a self-leveling formula–FireStop Silicon SL

Fire-Kote 100 by Universal Fire-Shieldis a heavy-duty Class A fire retardant that chemically changes the wood as it is absorbed. Nitrogen is produced as the by-product under heat or flame, displacing oxygen and reversing theignition process. Fire-Shield also produces Wood-Shield W1000, a fire and flame retardant that can be applied on-site and includes FirePoly for ember control. Shingle Safe is a clear, resin-based flame retardant for wood shingles.

 We’re not endorsing or verifying the information on these products, simply making you aware of what’s out there.

This page will fill in details on fire extinguishers: how to make sure a home unit is in working order and how to maintain it.

We need to stress, again, that an extinguisher’s primary role in your home is to allow you time to get yourself and your family out of danger. That’s why the fire department needs to be called before the pin on the home unit is pulled, why you need to know when the extinguisher has done all it can do and it’s time for you to leave. Small home extinguishers contain less than a minutes worth of suppressant material. If the fire is not under control soon after that initial sweep at the base of the flames, leave the area and wait for fire fighters.

• Once an extinguisher has been used, you need to either replace it or have it recharged. Most home units are designed to be recharged and re-used, some are not. Make sure you know which one you have in your home. Even if the pressure gauge indicates the unit has enough pressurized gas for another use, don’t believe it. Generally, the gauge does not accurately indicate the pressure immediately after use. It takes a little bit of time to get an accurate reading. If you don’t believe this, be sure and re-check the gauge a day after the fire. BC or ABC extinguishers must be serviced and recharged after every use.
• Don’t bring your new extinguisher home and test to see how it works. Most home units have enough suppressant for one use. Read the instructions, familiarize yourself with the parts — the nozzle, pin and lever — then put it on its bracket, intact.
• If your home extinguisher has dents or gouges in the cylinder, replace it.
• If you are not sure of the age or condition of your home unit, check with your local fire department. Either they can check the extinguisher out or refer you to a local business that can.
• Extinguishers found in your workplace or public areas are inspected by the local fire department on a regular basis. Familiarize yourself with the type and operation of the models where you work.

So, we’ve convinced you a fire extinguisher represents an integral part of your home fire safety plan. Now what? You need to be able to identify the right fire extinguisher for your home.

Extinguishers for home use are generally available at your local hardware and multi-purpose mega stores. But, wait. Before you grab one off the shelves and head for the checkout, read the information provided on the equipment to make sure it suits your specific purpose.

First, remember your fire classification information: A for general combustibles like wood and paper; B for flammable liquids and C for electrical fires. Determine what fire dangers exist for the room(s) the extinguisher will be mounted in. Look for the letter rating on the extinguisher. To make it easier, most extinguishers have multiple ratings: AB, BC or ABC. Obviously, the ABC would be your best bet. However, if the equipment will be mounted in a garage with no electrical wiring, an AB would work just as well.

Class A and B extinguishers also include a numerical rating: 1-A: 20-B for instance. Class C extinguishers will not have numerical ratings. The number represents the size of fire an experienced person can expect to extinguish. Class A numbers range from 1 to 10; B numbers range from 20 to 80. If you’re standing in front of the extinguisher display trying to figure out how large a “1″ is compared to a “10,” the National Fire Protection Association’s (NFPA) requirements may help. An extinguisher with a rating of 3-A: 40-B:C meets the NFPA requirements for living areas, garages and workshops.

Weight is another factor to consider. A home extinguisher should be light enough to be easily used by most family members. The ABC-rated dry chemical extinguishers can weigh from a very light 5-pounds to an adult size 25-pounds. Many home extinguishers come with mounting systems–either a wall-mounting bracket or hook. This is preferable to sticking your extinguisher on a window sill or shelf and expecting it to be there when you need it.

So, you’ve read all the information on the units to ensure they meet your needs and hefted the equipment to determine how easy it will be to use by other family members; now you’re ready to head for the checkout.

Let’s run through a kitchen fire scenario. From the discussion on the types of suppressant material, we already know the proper extinguisher is a dry chemical or pure carbon dioxide. The latter is preferable in a kitchen fire since it will not contaminate the cooking equipment or exposed food.

The smoke alarm goes off. The occupants identify that the fire has started in the kitchen and begin their escape plan. The flames are still small and contained; the room is not yet filled with smoke. An adult or older child makes sure everyone is safely out of the house and grabs the extinguisher. Keeping his back to the exit so that if the flames get out of control there is nothing blocking his safe escape, he stands six to eight feet from the flames and checks to make sure the nozzle is pointed away from him. He pulls the pin, aims low at the base of the fire and squeezes the lever slowly and evenly.

When the suppressant material initially hits the flames, there may be a flare up. Don’t panic, this is normal. Sweep the nozzle from side to side, keeping the nozzle aimed at the base as you move toward the fire.

The acronym to remember is PASS

P Pull the pin

A Aim low at the base of the fire

S Squeeze the lever

S Sweep the nozzle from side to side

That first sight of flames is not the time to read through the fire extinguisher operating instructions. Read through the instructions when the unit is purchased. Many fire departments and extinguisher distributors will give hands-on training to you and your family members.

While it may seem unnecessary at the time, be on the safe side and designate one of the family members who will evacuate to call the fire department once out of the home. If you are alone when the fire breaks out, call the fire department before you use the extinguisher. While that may seem like a waste of valuable time, the nature of fire is unpredictable. The flames in that kitchen fire may spread beyond the ability of a home extinguisher to control. It is much safer to have fire fighters en route. Even if you have extinguished the flames, the fire fighters can make sure the situation is completely safe before other family members return to the home.

After the flames have been extinguished, it’s time for clean up. If the fire started with cooking oil or other flammable liquid, clean up all the remaining liquid from surfaces. If the fire was a Class A (common combustibles), dispose of the ashes, cooled embers and remaining fuel in a metal container similar to those used for fireplace ashes. If your extinguisher is the dry chemical foam type, clean up all the residual powder to avoid corrosion.

The last item on the home fire safety equipment list is the fire extinguisher.

You can easily compare the three items as parts of a three-legged stool: all are necessary to reduce the loss of life and property in home fires. Without just one of the three, that stool collapses.

The role of the residential fire extinguisher is similar to a sprinkler system with one variable: you. A small fire can be easily put out if caught in time and attacked with the right equipment and knowledgeable equipment user. Professionals stress that an extinguisher’s primary function is to help people escape safely.

What Suppressant Works with Which Fire

There are three different materials used in fire extinguishers: water, pure carbon dioxide and dry chemical foam, the most popular and most effective for home use. Water works well on Class A fires where the fuel is ordinary combustibles like wood, paper, etc. However, on Class B fires (flammable liquids, including cooking oils and fats), the water mixes with the liquid, dilutes and spreads the fire. The degree to which the burning liquid is diluted is not enough to extinguish the flame. Water on a Class B fire not only does not work, it could make the fire worse. The use of water on Class C, electrical fires, is even more dangerous. Water conducts electricity. The fire extinguisher user is at the end of that conductivity and could get electrocuted.

With pure carbon dioxide extinguishers, the gas is contained in pressurized liquid form in the canister. When the pressure is released and the canister opened, carbon dioxide enters the atmosphere in its gas form. Since it is heavier than oxygen, it smothers the fuel and displaces the oxygen that feeds the flames. This type of extinguisher is often used in restaurants since it does not contaminate the food or cooking equipment.

The chemical in dry chemical foam extinguishers is usually sodium bicarbonate (baking soda). Exposed to temperatures of just 158 degrees F, sodium bicarbonate decomposes, releasing carbon dioxide which, with the foam, smothers the fire.

Residential fire extinguishers are fairly lightweight and easy to use. The trade-off is that they do not contain large quantities of the fire suppressant material. For this reason, your quick, calm reaction to a small flame is very important.

How an Extinguisher Works

Before we explain the basics of using a fire extinguisher, it’s good to understand a little about how the equipment works. Extinguishers work much like aerosol cans. The metal canister contains the water or suppressant material under pressure. At the top of the canister is a lever kept in place with a metal safety pin. When the pin is pulled and the lever depressed, the material is released through the nozzle. The compressed gas is contained in a smaller cylinder near the top of the extinguisher with a release valve that keeps the pressurized gas from escaping. Dry chemical extinguishers generally will have a pressure gauge. If that gauge indicates “recharge,” the pressure may be too low to expel the suppressant. The National Fire Protection Association recommends having dry chemical extinguishers inspected every six years, even if the gauge indicates the correct pressure. To keep track of the age of the equipment, it may be a good idea to identify the purchase date of the extinguisher with an indelible marker.

The best location for an extinguisher is near an exit. More on why in the next section on how to use an extinguisher.

The combined use of smoke alarms and sprinkler systems can reduce the number of home fire fatalities by 82 percent. In any discussion of residential sprinkler systems, the elephant in the room is always the cost. We’ll get that out of the way now. According to the U.S. Fire Administration, the cost in new construction is between $1 and $1.50 per square foot of the home. According to a professional installer in the Southwest, that cost is more like $2.50 to $3.50 for both new construction and retrofitting an existing residence. Considering the discrepancy, check with your local installer before you discard the idea because of cost.

A good way to look at the cost of a system in new construction is to compare it to a carpet upgrade or similar amenity, roughly one- to two-percent of the total cost of construction. Most insurance companies provide a premium discount of 5- to 15-percent on homes with systems.

If your home or those living in it are considered high-risk, think of the cost as potentially saving a life or at least reducing the loss in property in the event of a fire.

Background

Sprinkler systems in commercial buildings are nothing new. The New England textile mills were protected by sprinklers over 100 years ago following a series of fires that destroyed both buildings and lives. Systems in schools, office buildings, factories and other commercial buildings have been in use nearly that long.

As systems became more popular in residential construction, the costs and the technology improved. Nearly 40 years ago, communities in Southern California passed building code ordinances requiring systems in all new construction. Today, over 300 communities have followed suit. Because of the cost, the building industry has been slow to embrace the concept, especially developers of middle-income housing in a highly competitive real estate market.

Advantages

The benefits of a sprinkler system are obvious. They put out small fires before they become life- and property-threatening.

Let’s walk through a home fire. The first flames and smoke set off a smoke alarm. The family evacuates and calls the local fire department. Fire fighters arrive, assess the situation, set up their equipment and begin to fight the flames. How much time has passed? Depending on how far away the home is from emergency services, it could be 10, 20 minutes or longer. Without a sprinkler system, that gives the fire plenty of time to become well established and the home totally involved in flames.

Sprinkler systems are on duty 24/7 whether you’re at home or not. For those in a high risk category for fire injury or death, sprinklers can keep the fire under control allowing extra time for evacuation. They also reduce the risk of injury to fire fighters. Home systems are more sensitive to heat and react more quickly than the older, commercial systems. They also use up to 20-percent of the water used by fire fighters, reducing loss to water damage.

Residential sprinklers are smaller than the obtrusive style used in commercial buildings and can be worked into a room’s decor and mounted flush with the ceiling or hidden by protective covers. The use of PVC rather than steel piping has reduced the cost of materials. In addition, systems can be connected to an alarm monitoring service or an external alarm that notifies neighbors of the fire.

Sprinkler Misconceptions

There are misconceptions about sprinklers. Do they cause more damage than they prevent? Are they worth the cost? The worthiness is for you to determine, but today’s systems are as close to foolproof as modern technology can make them. Research indicates that only one in 16 million sprinkler heads ever activates by mistake.

Sprinklers are designed to go off if the temperature reaches 135 to 165 degrees F. Most residential fires can be controlled by just one sprinkler and 90-percent of all fires are usually controlled by six or fewer heads.

If you live in a cold winter climate, there are alternatives to water-filled pipe systems: dry pipe and preaction sprinklers. Insulation specifically molded for piping is available to protect pipes running through unheated attics. Basically, there is no freezing danger unique to sprinkler systems that does not also impact all home water pipes. Conversely, if you’ve figured out the simple precautions to prevent your water pipes from freezing and bursting, those same techniques will also prevent ruptures in your sprinkler system lines.

How Sprinklers Work

Sprinkler systems are not rocket science. They generally measure about 1-5/8- by 1-1/4-inches. Some are recessed into the ceiling with only the lower 1/2-inch of the head visible; others are completely recessed and camouflaged with a flat plate. The head threads into a pipe in the ceiling. A cap seals the opening preventing water from flowing out. A simple glass bulb filled with water holds the cap seal in place. Heat from a fire expands the liquid and causes the glass bulb to break releasing the seal. Water flows through the head and is dispersed into a spray by the deflector at the bottom of the head.

One final note for homeowners in rural/urban interface areas, a fancy way of saying you live in a rural area or a subdivision surrounded by open, native vegetation. We’ve all seen footage of homes literally exploding before they are even touched by flames. The intense heat build up causes the temperature in the interior of the home to rise to very dangerous levels. Sprinklers are activated by heat, not by flames. You see where we’re going with this. Many fire agency officials recognize that sprinkler systems can maintain a safe temperature level inside a home surrounded by burning structures and vegetation. Water damage vs. ashes: not a difficult choice to make.

• Smoke Alarms
• Sprinkler Systems
• Fire Extinguishers

For those who live in what would be considered high risk homes, all three should be seriously considered. While the cost of sprinkler systems has dropped with increased use in new construction, the initial cost of retrofitting an older home is still expensive, especially when compared to a $10 smoke alarm. Many communities mandate systems for new housing but that does not help existing houses. The higher your risk, in terms of both your home and the age of your family members, the more seriously sprinkler systems should be considered.

Ongoing updates on other products, like collapsible ladders, and information on flame-resistant or flame-retardant products and materials can be found under Home Fire Safety Products.

Smoke Alarms

This could very well be the most important page on this website. The fire death rate in homes with working smoke alarms is 51-percent less than that for homes without alarms, according to the American Red Cross.

• Small flames can grow into life-threatening fires in 30 seconds.
• More deaths are caused by smoke inhalation than by flames.
• Smoke alarms can give you that extra time to evacuate safely. They are one of the best and most cost effective ways to protect your family and your home.

Background on Smoke Alarms

Less than 50 years ago, few people had even heard of smoke alarms. The cost of professional installation in the typical three-bedroom home back then neared $1,000 or a significant chunk out of most pocketbooks. But then commercial manufacturers set out to develop and effectively market more affordable systems.

By 1995 close to 93-percent of homes, apartments, nursing homes and dormitories had the equipment installed. Laws requiring alarm installation in all new and existing homes had been enacted in 38 states and thousands of cities. Fire protection agencies as well as other public/private partnerships have done a good job educating the public to the life-saving value of smoke alarms. Today alarms are available for around $10 a piece and that three-bedroom home can be protected for $50. That $10 to $50 expense represents the first line of defense in the event of a home fire.

Types of Smoke Alarms

There are three basic types of smoke alarms available for home use.

• Ionization alarms react very quickly in the event of flames and a fast moving fire like cooking oil fires or those started in wastebaskets.
• Photoelectric alarms sense and alert occupants to smoldering, smoky fires like those started by smoking materials in mattresses or upholstered furniture.
• Dual sensor smoke alarms, like the name implies, combine both technologies and send out an alarm in the event of both flames and smoke.

The U.S. Fire Administration recommends the use of both ionization and photoelectric alarms or the use of the dual sensor alarms. Both types of fires can cause fatalities and property damage. While we can identify sources of both types of danger, we cannot predict which type will occur in our own homes.

Smoke alarms are powered by the home’s AC current, by batteries or both. Obviously, the AC current alarms require professional installation but can be done by homeowners familiar with the safety procedures of wiring projects. To be totally on the safe side, have them installed by a professional electrician.

Battery powered alarms remain functional during power outages but batteries wear out over time. Installation of battery powered alarms requires only a screw driver and ladder. There are also AC alarms with battery back-up, but again batteries need to be checked monthly and replaced annually. Many public education programs use the switch to daylight savings time in the fall to encourage residents to change their smoke alarm batteries. Building ordinances in some areas also specify AC powered alarms with battery back-up. Before yo pruchase alarms, check with local agencies to determine what is required.

For people with hearing limitations, smoke alarms that work with vibrating pads or send out a strong strobe light are recommended.

Where Should Alarms Be Installed?

That’s an easy one. Because smoke and heat rise, install smoke alarms either on the ceiling or high on the walls, six- to eight-inches below the ceiling. Keep them away from windows, doors or ducts that could interfere with their operation. Install alarms on every level of your home, including the basement. Install them in all rooms whose doors are usually closed, like bedrooms or often unused rooms closed off to conserve energy. the determing factor for placement is not where occupants will hear them but where they can detect smoke and flames as early as possible.

Maintenance

Again, check the batteries monthly; replace the batteries annually and replace battery-powered units every 10 years. In the interim, clean cobwebs and dust off smoke alarms as part of your normal housekeeping. Smoke alarms that feature long-lasting batteries are designed to be replaced according to the manufacturer’s recommendations. Since few human brains are programmed to remember this kind of detail, you can mark the expiration date with a marker on the underside of the alarm. Then all you have to do is remember to check that date. If your alarm starts to chirp, it’s telling you to replace the batteries.

Errant Alarms

We’ve all been there. Your cooking project is emitting a lot of smoke; you’re in control of the situation, but your smoke alarm is screaming. The good news: your alarm is working. The bad news: your first impulse is to throw something at the alarm or dismantle it. Don’t do either. Try waving a towel in front of the alarm to disburse the smoke. If this happens frequently, move the alarm. If it happens for no apparent reason, replace it.