Fire safety should be paramount in your home. In most instances, house fires are preventable. With proper preparedness and an abundance of caution, you can dramatically reduce the risk of devastation due to fire. But no matter the precautions you take, there remains the chance that a fire could start. That’s why you need to have fire extinguishers on hand. But how many fire extinguishers should you have?
How many fire extinguishers should you have in your home? Here are some guidelines to consider.
No Magic Formula
Let’s start out by saying that there’s no magic formula for determining how many fire extinguishers your home should have. The right answer for one home may not apply to the next. Still, there are a few rough guidelines we can give to get the gears turning in your head.
One additional note: it’s always better to have more, rather than less. You can’t be too careful when it comes to fire safety!
One for Each Floor
How many floors does your home have? One good place to start when determining how many fire extinguishers you need is purchasing one for each floor of your home. This includes your basement and attic—even if you don’t regularly use either of those spaces. Doing so will get you well on the road to a safer home!
Your Kitchen
As you should know by now, a majority of house fires begin in the kitchen. If you could only afford one good fire extinguisher, that’s undoubtedly where it should go. Ideally, you should keep two on the floor where your kitchen is—one for the kitchen, and one elsewhere. Additionally, make sure it’s somewhere you can quickly grab it in case of an emergency.
Near Heat Sources
Think about what other heat sources might exist in your home—besides your kitchen! Do you have a fireplace? How about a space heater, or a wood stove? It’s a good idea to place a fire extinguisher next to any of these sources of heat.
Home Offices and Entertainment Centers
These days, home offices are more commonplace than ever before. If you have an abundance of wires plugged in in your office, you ought to be aware of the possibility of an electrical fire. While there are plenty of steps you can take to reduce the risk of one occurring—such as using grounded cords and unplugging appliances when not in use—a fire extinguisher is always wise to have on hand. The same goes for entertainment centers, or anywhere else where there’s a lot of wires!
Commercial and Residential Fire Prevention from Judd Fire Protection
If you want to ensure your home and business are safe throughout the year, trust Judd Fire Protection, LLC. We have over two decades of experience in designing, installing, inspecting, and repairing residential and commercial fire protection systems. We serve clients throughout Maryland, Pennsylvania, Washington, D.C., Virginia, and West Virginia. If you are interested in finding out more about our services and protecting your home and business, give us a call at 410-871-3480 or contact us online. For more fire safety tips, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.