Originally published 3/11/2019
March is time change month, so this is a good time to talk about fire safety. Time change is a good reminder to take care of some important maintenance tasks.
First and foremost, this is a good time to change the batteries in your smoke detectors. Nearly all modern smoke detectors have a battery, usually a nine volt.
Older models of detectors are powered entirely by the battery. More recent models are hard-wired into your home’s electric power, but they still have a battery to keep the detector powered in case of a power failure. Your hard-wired detector will have a small tray that tilts or slides out to allow you to change the battery.
If you are able to spend a little more money, there are now detectors available with a sealed, permanent battery that lasts for several years. These detectors cost in the $20-$30 range, as compared to $5-$10 for a basic nine volt battery model. If you do purchase a long term battery detector, be sure to write the installation date with a permanent marker, and check the date every time there is a time change.
Especially if you have an older home, you may need to install more smoke alarms. Many older homes may only have one smoke alarm for the entire house. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recommends an alarm inside each bedroom, outside each sleeping area, and on every level of your home. The NFPA also recommends that you interconnect all of your alarms so that all of them will trigger if one of them triggers.
You should also consider having a fire extinguisher or two in your home. The most commonly available fire extinguishers are rated as A, B, or C. A class A extinguisher works for ordinary combustibles, such as wood or paper, class B extinguishers are for flammable liquids such as grease or gasoline, and class C extinguishers are suitable for electrical fires. Commonly available extinguishers work for all three types. Of particular importance for the kitchen – NEVER throw water on a grease fire. It will case a massive fireball. See the youtube videos in the reference section.
Extinguishers also come in various sizes. This Old House recommends a 10 pound extinguisher for use in a garage or workshop, 5 pounds for your kitchen and laundry room, and a 2 pound extinguisher for your car. You can find extinguishers either in disposable or rechargeable form. There is even an interesting product called the Stovetop Firestop, which is an automatic stovetop fire extinguisher that mounts to your vent hood with magnets.
As a side note, NFPA does not recommend that children be taught to use extinguishers. Rather, they should be taught simply to get out and stay out if there is a fire.
If you have any propane or natural gas appliances in your home, such as a heater, water heater, stove, or fireplace, you should have your gas system(s) inspected periodically. Contact your natural gas provider for more information, or click here for some general recommendations. Most importantly, if you smell gas, do not attempt to locate the source of the leak. Get out and call your natural gas provider or 911.
Finally, As we mentioned in our home maintenance blog post, some other fire related maintenance tasks are cleaning your dryer, dryer vent, chimney (if you have one,) and your stove vent hood filters.
References
https://www.nfpa.org/Public-Education/By-topic/Smoke-alarms/Installing-and-maintaining-smoke-alarms
https://www.thisoldhouse.com/ideas/how-to-choose-and-use-fire-extinguishers
https://www.nfpa.org/Public-Education/By-topic/Fire-and-life-safety-equipment/Fire-extinguishers
Firestop Rangehood