Recommended Places to Keep Fire Extinguishers Around Your Home
Fire extinguishers are an important part of fire safety. Having them located throughout your home or rental properties in accessible areas means if, or when, the time comes to use an extinguisher, you (or your Airbnb guests or renters) won’t waste time searching for one. Being prepared isn’t just a scout’s motto: it’s the first step in making sure your loved ones and property are better protected.
- Kitchen
Most house fires begin in the kitchen. Grease fires require a Class K extinguisher and can’t be put out with water. Don’t place it right next to the stove since it’ll be useless if you can’t reach it through flames. Pick a spot about 30 feet from the stove where it’ll be easily accessible. It can be mounted by the kitchen door or in an adjoining room if you have a small kitchen. For more information, read how to put out grease fires.
2. Each Floor
Keep at least 1 fire extinguisher in a central location on each floor of your home. This includes the basement if you have one. Mount them at least 4–5 feet from the floor in plain view so time isn’t wasted looking for one. This means they shouldn’t be hidden behind drapes or in a closet where they can get lost under clutter.
3. Garage/Workshop
Garages are typically used to store flammable materials, such as paint, oil, or gasoline, just to name a few. Workshop tools can generate sparks when in use, and recreational vehicles contain fuel. Place the fire extinguisher near the door for easy access.
4. Laundry Room
Lint is highly flammable and collects in dryer lint traps and exhaust tubes. Clean the trap after every load of laundry and clean the exhaust tube every 6 months to reduce the risk. Please a fire extinguisher in or near the laundry room just in case.
5. Bedrooms
Most home fires occur at night between 8PM and 8AM. Keep an extinguisher in each bedroom. If the fire is right outside your door, the extinguisher that’s centrally located on your floor won’t be of any use.
6. Patio and Grill
Cookouts on the grill and relaxing around a fire pit are simultaneously fun and dangerous. Gas grills use propane fuel which can explode and charcoal grills can catch on fire from the grease and hot coals. Keep an extinguisher by the patio door or in an easily accessible spot near the grill or fire pit.
7. Other Areas
Keep a fire extinguisher within reach of fireplaces and chimneys, wood stoves, and furnaces.
General Tips:
- Safety trumps home design every time. Hiding a fire extinguisher because it clashes with your decor will cost you valuable time.
- Place fire extinguishers in plain view so even visitors will be able to find one. They shouldn’t be mounted more than 5 feet from the ground.
- Make sure everyone knows where fire extinguishers are located and how to use them.
- Learn when to replace or recharge your fire extinguishers.
Victor Jablokov is the CEO of Wallflower Labs, a technology company based in Boston, MA that is developing products to reduce home fires caused by cooking. Learn more at wallflower.com.
