Fire extinguisher saved my garage

[Wheelingit]

Today I had a propane radiant heater malfunction and burst into flames. Fortunately I had an 8 lb extinguisher hanging on the wall. It was a pretty big fireball and was not sure it would work. I discharged it and it completely put out the fire.

If I did not have that extinguisher I would have lost my garage and everything in it.

A lesson to be learned...if you don't have a fire extinguisher get one asap. No matter how careful you are the unexpected can suddenly happen.

 

[Jeff C]

Glad it wasn’t any worse. Fire extinguishers are essential to have around.

 

[Maxcustody]

Good reminder, you never know and lucky you were prepared. I have one mounted on my wall as well

 

[tarmy]

Excellent OP…being prepared was the key…

I weld and ALWAYS have 2 good quality extinguishers handy…and I have them spread around the house, cars, boats and even one on the tractor…cheap insurance.

 

[kbeefy]

Glad you were able to catch it @Wheelingit.

I have seen too many fire emergencies where people either froze or simply ran away.

I have an extinguisher at each end near the doors, and one in the middle. I should probably add one more on the opposite side of the shop so theres one on each wall.

 

[PCustoms]

A lesson to be learned...if you don't have a fire extinguisher get one asap. No matter how careful you are the unexpected can suddenly happen.

Glad you saved it and a message worth repeating.

Excellent OP…being prepared was the key…

I weld and ALWAYS have 2 good quality extinguishers handy…and I have them spread around the house, cars, boats and even one on the tractor…cheap insurance.

Guess I missed a spot.

One in the kitchen, one at the base of the stairs, 2 in the garage and 1 in the truck. I had 2 in the kitchen but used one a few a years ago when I had a small chimney fire.

 

[NUTTSGT]

I'll add this small tidbit. If you have a natural gas or LP heater in your garage or shop, make sure to have a shut off valve within easy reach.

Yeah, should be code and common sense but believe it or not......

 

[Lt CHEG]

Thankfully I’ve never had to use a fire extinguisher at my own home, but I’ve used a fire extinguisher that I kept in my truck several times while driving and happening upon a car fire or similar. I’m a big believer in having fire extinguishers handy. In my attached garage, just outside of my kitchen, I keep a 15 pound CO2 and a 10 pound ABC on either side of the man door between the house and the garage. That makes it handy for use in both the garage or the kitchen. I keep another 10 pound ABC extinguisher in the front entry closet. I also keep a 10 pound ABC extinguisher and 10 pound CO2 extinguisher in the laundry room upstairs. I only have a 10 pound ABC extinguisher in my basement at the bottom of the stairs but am always on the lookout for a good price used, professional grade CO2 extinguisher. Ideally I like to have at least 1 dry chem and 1 CO2 on each floor of my home. In my detached garage/shop I keep a 15 pound CO2 and 10 pound ABC extinguisher.

The idea is that CO2 extinguishers are tried first as they don’t make a mess, and should handle any cooking mishap, or small fire that starts in the shop or the garage. The ABC extinguishers have more extinguishing capability and can be used if the CO2 doesn’t get it done, while I’m calling 911. I feel strongly about having CO2 available because there is no reason NOT to use one at the first sign of trouble. They make virtually no mess and are very effective for small fires early on. The idea is just use it with no worries and then if they don’t work then it’s time to make a mess with the dry chem. I’ve seen people fool around looking for a water pot or blanket or something to try to put out a fire without a mess, and ignored their dry chem because they didn’t want to make a mess, and then the fire got out of control. So the redundancy works well for safety and psychological purposes.

All of my extinguishers are professional grade extinguishers that have been bought used, either full and charged or empty and discharged. I bring them for service at a local shop and they are literally good as new and the total investment ends up being no more than $50 or $60 for a dry chem, a little more than double for CO2. That ends up being a third the cost of a brand new professional/industrial grade like we use at my firehouse or only a little more than a cheapo disposable extinguisher but with better capability. I implore anyone on this forum that doesn’t have a good fire extinguisher in their house and one in their garage to please go out and get one. They aren’t an end all be all, but they definitely help. Even if they can’t completely extinguish the fire they can buy you time and minimize damage.

 

[G-ManBart]

Wow...that's scary!

I have multiple extinguishers in the house...under the kitchen sink, in the basement, in the attached garage next to the man door and one or two others.

My shop is slightly different since I have welders, grinders, etc. I have a 10lb ABC on a hook at every doorway. My shop has four man doors and just inside each one is a 10lb ABC. In addition, I have a 5lb ABC in between the double overhead doors by the operator switches. I figure worst case I'm never more than 10-15ft from one....cheap insurance!

 

[Renegade1LI]

Glad you were able to put it out! Keep FE everywhere, even in the shed, you never know. I also tag them & check them once a month.

 

[nadogail]

I am late to the party, but I have purchased two extinguishers; one in December and the other this month.

 

[Jagmandave]

I have several as well, but what I don't have is a propane fired heater in my shop, where there might be other flamable things. Moral of this story, you need a better heater!

 

[Metal-Marc]

Glad you saved it and a message worth repeating.


Guess I missed a spot.

One in the kitchen, one at the base of the stairs, 2 in the garage and 1 in the truck. I had 2 in the kitchen but used one a few a years ago when I had a small chimney fire.

Chimfex is what you want. I have two sticks just in case.

I have fire extinguishers in the house and in the garage. I did extinguish two fires in the past. One at work and one in a house.

I have smoke detectors and CO2 detectors in the house and in the garage.

This is serious business.

 

[F-22]

I am late to the party

Never too late

Foam type extinguishers are pretty great too. Cheap to inspect, low-pressure inside (CO2 is pretty high pressure so the container has to be thick), and it's water and a foaming agent. CO2 is effective up close but not ideal for burning solids (A class fires), it can blast stuff apart and give you multiple fires instead of one (e.g. wouldn't want to use CO2 on sawdust or a burning log that's already crumbling). Also what is worrying with CO2 - if your family member or friend is on fire and you try to extinguish them, it'll give them frostbite! CO2 is liquid and expands as it exits, sucking in energy in form of heat, so basically it cools to around -70°F - you do not want to use it on people unless it is really critical! Also, CO2 is a gas so it spreads, it is only effective up close. Foam is effective from across a room.

Foam suffocates and drowns a fire. Water "takes" a lot of heat (large thermal capacity) so it cools the flames and removes oxigen. It is very effective for all kinds of home fires. I think it's also "safe" to extinguish electrical fires from a bit further away with it. It also does not make a mess like powder does. It's also very simple to have it checked or refilled.

 

[CraigStu]

Ah ****, now I need to buy a hose extension. I have a propane heater on the wall running from a standard BBQ grill tank. SO it has a valve of course, but I just realized that valve is maybe 15 inches from the heater. It could be hard to get to if the heater was on fire. Due to a thread here maybe 3years ago I have two extinguishers in the garage. Now I will move the tank/valve further from the heater. I typed that first sentence in jest, but I am glad for the thought and will get on it this week. Thanks guys

 

[Two Speed]

Ah ****, now I need to buy a hose extension. I have a propane heater on the wall running from a standard BBQ grill tank. SO it has a valve of course, but I just realized that valve is maybe 15 inches from the heater. It could be hard to get to if the heater was on fire. Due to a thread here maybe 3years ago I have two extinguishers in the garage. Now I will move the tank/valve further from the heater. I typed that first sentence in jest, but I am glad for the thought and will get on it this week. Thanks guys

Thats a good thing in my opinion, if the heater is on fire you don't want to be close to the flames in order to shut off the propane tank.

 

[Black300zx]

I'll add this small tidbit. If you have a natural gas or LP heater in your garage or shop, make sure to have a shut off valve within easy reach.

Yeah, should be code and common sense but believe it or not......

Lack of an easily accessible shut-off on our propane fireplace was the only issue the inspector found with our house before we bought it. Seems like it's code around here (besides being simple common sense).

 

[GreenIron]

Glad to hear you were able to extinguish the fire.
I have two fire extinguishers in my shop. One on each end.

 

[WisJim]

Fire extinguisher maintenance is important too, so you can assume it will work when needed.
I had a job doing maintenance at a state university, and in addition to taking care of HVAC equipment, I did monthly fire extinguisher checks which included annually weighing all CO2 extinguishers and turning and shaking all dry chemical extinguishers. If the powder hadn't caked and hardened you can hear or feel the powder move. Usually gave the extinguisher a few raps with a rubber mallet too. They were also all sent in for servicing at the required interval which I no longer recall, maybe 5 years. Need to check the tags on mine at home to see.

 

[DeeDubz]

I think I have 4 in my shop. One by the man door, one by my welder, one by flammable liquids and another on a shelf. Glad you got it out OP. Knock on wood ive never have even been close to using one. We keep them all over the house too.

 

[Paycheck]

On a side note, don’t use an extinguisher on a grease fire (ie cooking) Unless you want to spread it around and collect the insurance money. And don’t try to move the pan. Cover it and call 911.

 

[driftpin]

An ounce of prevention (or a few pounds). Yes, for most instances, ABC/dry chemical is the way to go, screw the 'mess.' Think of the 'mess' the fire causes, once it's fully-seated.

As a career firefighter/paramedic, fire service instructor, fire inspector, and plans examiner, now retired, I was exposed to the benefits of proper preparation, or the misery of the lack of it. Reading members' stories of saving their homes, vehicles, and possibly their lives (and those of others) through the use of fire extinguishers is a powerful incentive to like the Boy Scouts motto, "be prepared."

 

[cvairwerks]

Class K extinguishers for the kitchen.. If you work with any exotic metals, you need a Class D in the shop as well. A bucket of fine sand can be a partial substitute for a Class D unit.

 

[Bucko]

As a kid I had a vehicle catch fire and an extinguisher saved the vehicle.
It was my first car, a 71 vw bug. The dowel for the carb popped out and the gas ignited. Luckily a guy stopped with an extinguisher and put it out. Only had to replace a few wires and live with a primer on the deck lid. Without him the car would of been a total loss.
I've always carried one since and figured I might one day be able to repay the favor for someone else.
I keep multiple extinguishers around in places like the kitchen, garage, workshop, and vehicles. Just don't forget to inspect them once and a while. I've replaced a few over the years.

 

[Mainiac Mat]

Thanks for sharing this... and I'm happy for you that you didn't lose your garage and contents.

I've been meaning to get a fire extinguisher mounted in my new garage... but have let it slip.

I will buy one at Home Depot on my way home from work and get it installed tonight.

 

[Wheelingit]

I have always been safety aware. Upon the completion of my garage, I installed the fire extinguisher and a carbon monoxide alarm. I am considering having two extinguishers in the garage now. I have several in my home. In all my life I never had to use one until just now. I thank God that I had that extinguisher and that also I kept my cool and escaped injury.

 

[Zeke]

I have several as well, but what I don't have is a propane fired heater in my shop, where there might be other flamable things. Moral of this story, you need a better heater!

I think it's toasted by now.

 

[nateo]

I've only had opportunity to discharge my fire extinguisher once in a live fire (heh heh) situation. I was out working in the yard the first spring of the pandemic when I heard shouting. Neighbour from two doors down on my side was running to a house across the street shouting. A second later I saw that something was on fire on the porch of that house. Figuring the first guy had alerting the occupants sorted, I ran inside and grabbed my ABC extinguisher before running across the street myself. Got there in time to put out the flaming Home Depot bucket and the now black and scorched siding. It seemed like the bucket had some rags in it when someone tossed in a cigarette ****.

Those folks (renters) moved out a while later and the new owners are wonderful neighbours. I sometimes like to puff out my chest and remind them that I saved their house from burning down once.

 

[Brent T]

Two things I added to the garage several years ago. Fire Extinguisher and First Aid Kit. Not often needed, but important to have.

 

[Ilikeike]

My 3 car garage has an ABC extinguisher by the door to into the house, 1 at the door to the side yard, and 1 mounted to my welding cart.
Even have one of those 2.5g water filled ones I use to squirt the kid sometimes, or just cool hot parts.

Of course we hope they never get used.

 

[rktinc]

I am building a shop and just do not have a clue where to get fire extinguishers. Should I hire a service and replace them or should I buy them from a supplier. I really have no idea about them. I could never get my dad to buy on or even own one on the farm.

I have a large shop and would need several. Any opinions on starting from scratch?

 

[jbfsr]

Fire Extinguishers - 10Lb ABC Dry Chemical - Lot of 4 [SCRATCH&DENT] | eBay

4 new wall brackets. Note: These are not the units in the picture. over 500 sold to date. Don't expect them to look new. 4 extra Tamper Seals.

www.ebay.com

I've been using these. Most bang for the buck. Between house, garage, sheds I have 10.

 

[F-22]

They are ok for some 20-25 years and should be inspected serviced every 2-3 years. After that probably better to replace them to be safe. Though a fire extinguisher is a very "safe" design, so they usually work as intended...

Here, it costs 4-6€ to have one refilled and serviced after it was used. Very cheap.

ABC dust work well for almost any fire you can have at home and are the cheapest. But if refills are also so cheap where you live, I strongly recommend you try using one! Costs you almost nothing and then you know what to expect from it when the time comes. Use it somewhere far aways so it does not mess everything up. Because it really does, you practically won't be able to clean most types of chemicals used inside an ABC fire extinguisher off of furniture.

That is why I'd also strongly recommend to have at least one small foam fire extinguisher in your home. It's basically just water and soap inside, very easy to clean. CO2 is also fine and clean. For a small fire that can be extinguished easily, ABC dust will mess up your whole apartment, for some stuff I think you'll never get it out of the furniture, it will creep into every crack... Or in the garage if your vehicle ignites, out of the car seats.

screw the 'mess.' Think of the 'mess' the fire causes, once it's fully-seated.

True, but on the other hand there's a reason other types of fire extinguishers also exist, and a big reason is cleanup. ABC is great, but for something that should last you for over 20 years, might as well pay a couple bucks more for a cleaner one (and I'd just get both, what if you just nearly killed the fire and you run out? abc is very cheap anyway, they're 25-40€ for a 6kg one here).

 

[thunderalley3]

Thanks for bringing up the topic of fire extinguishers. It was a reminder that I need to get mine inspected and certified. I( had forgotten about it as when we had our rental property they had us on their schedule and I just put the ones from the house and shop out at the same time, now I need to get them done since the rentals went away last year.

 

[Wheelingit]

I am building a shop and just do not have a clue where to get fire extinguishers. Should I hire a service and replace them or should I buy them from a supplier. I really have no idea about them. I could never get my dad to buy on or even own one on the farm.

I have a large shop and would need several. Any opinions on starting from scratch?

Contact your fire department. They are a good source of information in many cases. Also your insurance company may have info available or point you in the right direction.

 

[PCustoms]

I am building a shop and just do not have a clue where to get fire extinguishers. Should I hire a service and replace them or should I buy them from a supplier. I really have no idea about them. I could never get my dad to buy on or even own one on the farm.

I have a large shop and would need several. Any opinions on starting from scratch?

Google "fire extinguisher service" in your area or take a look at the name in the inspection tag next time you are in a letter public building.

These services come in, some monthly but at least annually, to inspect extinguishers. Periodically they are taken out for hydrostatic testing and service per NFPA. When this happens they often just cycle them out of service and you may be able to get them cheap for home use, you want Ansul or Amerex.

As an example, mine came from a factory I worked at when they were due for a hydro test. The test and service was like $65/ea, new units were $60/ea. The company bought new units, hundreds of old units suddenly became available very affordably, the service tech could only bring so many back to the shop per day. I bet all the employees took 5 home each!

 

[06 DIESEL]

My 3 car garage has an ABC extinguisher by the door to into the house, 1 at the door to the side yard, and 1 mounted to my welding cart.
Even have one of those 2.5g water filled ones I use to squirt the kid sometimes, or just cool hot parts.

Of course we hope they never get used.

Contact your fire department. They are a good source of information in many cases. Also your insurance company may have info available or point you in the right direction.

You can get them on Amazon, but I suggest getting them from Grainger or Zoro.

I get old ones from work, we keep in service about 150 a year or so, when they start to show rust we have to get rid of them. I get all extinguishers serviced every year at work and have mine done by the same guy at the same time and just pay him cash for my personal one's. I think I have four 5# extinguishers in my 24x32 garage and four in my house plus one in my truck. There is also a 20# extinguisher in the garage just in case.

 

[KansasArt]

Have one in the kitchen and one in the laundry room. Haven’t checked them in a couple of years. Shame on me, I know. Probably need replacing. Gas stove in the kitchen. If one isn’t concerned about the mess it makes, what type & size should the replacement be?

 

[Metal-Marc]

Gas stove in the kitchen. If one isn’t concerned about the mess it makes, what type & size should the replacement be?

Induction stove is the way to go It's the best replacement for a gas stove.

 

[BonzoHansen]

Induction stove is the way to go It's the best replacement for a gas stove.

We have one. We are surprisingly happy with it