Home Fire Extinguishers

[larryinnewyork]

I had a 10 Lb. Fire Extinguisher hanging in my basement for 29 years.
It was a Dry Chemical ABC (most common for every day use).


I was worried that the dry chemical (powder) was compacted over time.
Yesterday I discharged it outside.
All 10 Lbs. of dry chemical came out (so it was good after all).

But wow, what a mess.
Of coarse I would not want my house to burn down, but I would not want to clean
up the mess that the 'dry chemical' leaves behind.
Upon discharge, there was a large yellow cloud drifting down the street.

I will always have the 'dry chemical' ABC, but
I think I will also purchase an extinguisher that uses Halotron
The Halotron just evaporates after use.
Note: Halotron is EPA approved.

Question: Anybody have a small house fire and then had to clean up the 'dry chemical' ? ? ?

 

[SumpChump]

How about this.... LINK TO STOP-FYRE

 

[Donald]

I think the dry chemical stuff is corrosive. But any other type of fire extinguisher is significantly more expensive.

 

[larryinnewyork]

Stop-Fyre looks very good, but too pricey.

The 'dry chemical' is slightly corrosive (and messy).

A Company called Amerex make a 5Lb BC Extinguisher that uses Halotron.
They can be bought on E-Bay for $ 150. (3x the price of dry chem.)

 

[FFeng7]

I've seen the results of a ABC fire extinguisher a few times. They are very effective but do make a large mess. Of course it's less of a mess that a fire would leave behind. I've seen a few cars in the junk yard that clearly had an engine fire that was extinguished with an ABC extinguisher and the extinguishing agent was all over the engine compartment.

 

[Donald]

Originally Posted By: SumpChump
How about this.... LINK TO STOP-FYRE


Very pricey.

 

[JTK]

Larry, I wouldn't worry too much about the mess. You're going to have a big mess on your hands anyway if you need to use a fire extinguisher in your home.

I hear you on the yellow cloud though. A shift mate and myself battled a little (outdoor) blaze at the plant some weeks back and used three 30 pounders. One was dry chem and the others were CO2.

A condensate drain in our hydrogen plant froze open, lit-off and caused a tire on a big rental man-lift nearby to catch fire. It took all 3 extinguishers and snow to put that tire out. Good thing I brought spare drawers that day.

 

[Ramblejam]

Surprised no one has mentioned a 2.5 gallon PW can.

 

[SumpChump]

So when is Co2 NOT a good idea? Oil (automotive) electrical? It seems like the best option.

 

[DBMaster]

I lucked out years ago and found Black & Decker Flamebusters on clearance at Pic 'N Save (now called Big Lots). I only wish I had bought the whole supply. They are about the size of WD40 cans. I keep one in my car and it still has pressure in it after 25 years.

They are halon.

 

[JTK]

Originally Posted By: SumpChump
So when is Co2 NOT a good idea? Oil (automotive) electrical? It seems like the best option.


You wouldn't want to use them in a confined space. The CO2 could displace too much O2 and out you'd go.

 

[Kuato]

No video of the discharge? Dang.

 

[Donald]

While you are at it, Kidde recalled a bunch of home fire extinguishers including a two pack I got at Sams last year.

 

[gathermewool]

Originally Posted By: SumpChump
So when is Co2 NOT a good idea? Oil (automotive) electrical? It seems like the best option.


CO2 will displace O2, starving the fire to put it out. If the embers, oil, live wires insulation, etc. are still hot, then they will reignite when the CO2 is displaced (due to a slight breeze, draft from opening a window or door, etc.)

The cold CO2 (caused by rapid expansion) will cool on contact, but may not lower it nearly enough, especially for a class A fire beyond the incipient stage.

CO2 works best when it can settle and be contained at the source of the fire, because it is heavier than O2. A good example is a trash can. Only a few short bursts from a CO2 extinguisher is all that's needed to smother a trash can fire, because it will displace enough oxygen and literally sit there, smothering the hot thing there within, preventing it from burning.

Conversely, you can dump all the CO2 you want on a full-featured flame and it will not go out unless you secure the fuel source, puff it out (gaseous fire most likely) or provide sufficient volume to smother it (based on surroundings.

CO2 is great for class C fires only because it leaves no residue. CO2 will not break the fire's chain reaction like a chemical or halon-type gas does.

Water also works very well with class A fires, but not many people keep a bottle of pressurized water around, because we want to be prepared for NY kind of fire and, for me at least, the risk of my couch or trash catching on fire is nil, whereas a grease fire on the stove is more likely, for which using water would be disastrous!

 

[Ramblejam]

Originally Posted By: gathermewool
Water also works very well with class A fires, but not many people keep a bottle of pressurized water around, because we want to be prepared for NY kind of fire and, for me at least, the risk of my couch or trash catching on fire is nil, whereas a grease fire on the stove is more likely, for which using water would be disastrous!


If you can only, absolutely have one fire extinguisher, then sure, a traditional ABC monoammonium phosphate "dry-chem" model is a million times better than watching everything go up in flames.

However...

Should your only reservation towards having a 2.5 gallon PW (water/foam) sitting around be its suitability in the kitchen, why not pick up one of the sodium bicarbonate models on the market? They're less than $20, with a nozzle design that's much more conducive (high volume/low velocity) towards safely extinguishing a grease fire, and an agent that'll be considerably more pleasant to deal with.

 

[gathermewool]

Originally Posted By: Ramblejam
Originally Posted By: gathermewool
Water also works very well with class A fires, but not many people keep a bottle of pressurized water around, because we want to be prepared for NY kind of fire and, for me at least, the risk of my couch or trash catching on fire is nil, whereas a grease fire on the stove is more likely, for which using water would be disastrous!


If you can only, absolutely have one fire extinguisher, then sure, a traditional ABC monoammonium phosphate "dry-chem" model is a million times better than watching everything go up in flames.

However...

Should your only reservation towards having a 2.5 gallon PW (water/foam) sitting around be its suitability in the kitchen, why not pick up one of the sodium bicarbonate models on the market? They're less than $20, with a nozzle design that's much more conducive (high volume/low velocity) towards safely extinguishing a grease fire, and an agent that'll be considerably more pleasant to deal with.


I don't have a class A-only, because the risk is low for needing it but an ABC extinguisher will provide protection for it, should I need it. Sodium bicarbonate might knock the flame down long enough for me to grab a hose, but my wife might not think of that. I'd rather she dump some yellow and pay someone to clean it up than fight a fire until the FF arrives.

With that said, it might be a good idea to have more than 2 extinguishers. I should probably maintain a couple of ABC and also a B&C.

For B fires aboard ship, AFFF is what is used, because most of the oil is liquid and will settle between the fish plates or in the bilge. You mentioned PW and then listed water/foam afterward. Are there foam extinguishers for class A fires only? When I mentioned it earlier, I was referring to water-only.

 

[Shannow]

You need to understand what it is that you are trying to put out.

Most people panic, look for a red thing, and spray around in a tiz.

In the kitchen, most things can be extinguished by rationally removing the heat source, and using either a pan lid or a damp tea towel to smother the flames...people tend to want to grab/move the fire, or use water, and really bad things happen.

Looking at the halotron...same issues that CO2 has...it has.

Garage/basement, a 10lb tub of pool ph Up (sodium bicarbonate) is the same active ingredient as some dry powder extinguishers, and only a few bucks.

The Arm and Hammer in your kitchen can do a passable job in that environment.

AFF is my fave industrially, it has saved me and my equipment a couple of times.

 

[Ramblejam]

Originally Posted By: gathermewool
Sodium bicarbonate might knock the flame down long enough for me to grab a hose, but my wife might not think of that. I'd rather she dump some yellow and pay someone to clean it up than fight a fire until the FF arrives.


The Kidde RESSP is listed to UL 711A, meets NFPA 10, and retails for $19.97 at your local Home Depot - don't shortchange its capabilities. No need for a hose, alternative agents, or the fire department when you have this sodium bicarbonate extinguisher at the ready.



Originally Posted By: gathermewool
You mentioned PW and then listed water/foam afterward. Are there foam extinguishers for class A fires only? When I mentioned it earlier, I was referring to water-only.


Referring to a PW with small percentage of additive. There are many products on the market. Here's one: http://www.coldfiredirect.com/Cold-Fire-32oz-Refill/

"In May 2009, JRT Environmental and RDR Technologies demonstrated Cold Fire multipurpose foaming wetting agent against four large tires, set in the back of a pickup truck. Diesel was added to the pile as an accelerant. Soon, not only were the tires on fire, but the entire back end of the truck was in flames. Armed only with a 2.5 gallon extinguisher with a quart of Cold Fire added, the fireman put out the tires and the truck bed in just a few seconds."

 

[spackard]

A month ago my dad was taking a corner in his Buick and heard a long hissssssss in his trunk. A 5lb had rolled around and let go. It made a heck of a mess.

Around the kitchen a coffee can filled with Arm and Hammer should be fine. Just put it where you don't have to reach across a fire to grab.

 

[Donald]

Originally Posted By: Donald
While you are at it, Kidde recalled a bunch of home fire extinguishers including a two pack I got at Sams last year.


I called and am getting two replacements sent to me.