Home-use fire extinguishers are key safety gear, especially over the holidays

With Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, and New Year's upon us, the risk of a fire at your home could be higher since you're likely to be cooking more, using holiday lighting (especially on Christmas trees and the like), and perhaps even burning candles more frequently.

The best way to avoid fires is to be safe; check out our safety advice for the kitchen, holiday lights, and candles. Still, you should have fire extinguishers on hand, keeping one each in the kitchen, garage, workshop, basement, and on every living area of the home—and have one nearby when grilling or deep-frying a turkey. "Keep extinguishers readily accessible so you don't waste valuable seconds rummaging around when a fire breaks out," says John Drengenberg, director of consumer affairs for Underwriters Laboratories, which conducts compliance tests of fire extinguishers.

While it might be convenient to keep a fire extinguisher under a kitchen sink, for example, manufacturers recommend you mount extinguishers in their bracket—in a convenient location and in plain sight—3.5 to 5 feet above the ground so they're out of the reach of small children.

You also need to know how to properly use your extinguishers. "When a fire breaks out is not the time to read the instructions on the extinguisher," adds Drengenberg. When you bring the extinguishers home, read the owner's manual to familiarize yourself with their operation and register them with the manufacturer so you're aware of any product updates or recalls.

(We’re currently testing various sizes of rechargeable and nonrechargeable fire extinguishers from brands like First Alert and Kidde for a report scheduled to appear in the May 2010 issue of Consumer Reports, online and on newsstands in early April. Stay tuned for preliminary reports of our findings, including our experience with First Alert’s Tundra, an aerosol spray classified as a firefighting tool as it is not tested to the ANSI/UL711 standards that apply to home-use extinguishers.)

Buy only extinguishers that have been listed or certified by a nationally recognized testing laboratory, such as UL, ETL, CSA, and FM Approvals. You'll notice letters on the extinguishers, which indicate the type(s) of fires they can handle. Class A are designed to put out rubbish, wood, and paper fires; Class B are for oil and grease fires; and Class C are for electrical fires. Class ABC models work on all the fires above.

For the home, Drengenberg recommends Class ABC extinguishers, since you won't necessarily have time to analyze the source of a fire. Our in-house experts recommend that you buy the largest fire extinguishers you can comfortably handle, since they'll give you a longer operating time. To increase your chances of successfully and safely extinguishing a fire, use the PASS—pull, aim, squeeze, sweep—technique and watch this video from the Fire Equipment Manufacturers' Association:

• Pull the pin, hold the extinguisher away from you, and release the locking mechanism.
• Aim low, pointing the extinguisher at the base of the fire.
• Squeeze the lever slowly and evenly.
• Sweep the nozzle from side to side.

"Also, be sure the fire is not between you and the door—you want to leave yourself a way to get out," says Drengenberg, who says you need to be aware of an extinguisher's limits. "Fire extinguishers, especially smaller ones, have a limited amount of extinguishing agent and are meant for fires that are small and contained, such as those in a wastebasket or frying pan. If you're faced with a fire that is spreading rapidly, your job is to get people out and call 911." (If you're faced with a small flare-up in a pan or a pot, turn off the cooking element and cover the flames immediately with the lid, which eliminates a source of oxygen a fire needs.)

Like smoke alarms and carbon-monoxide alarms, which you should replace every 10 years and every five years, respectively, fire extinguishers have a limited service life. Replace home-use nonrechargeable fire extinguishers 12 years after the manufacture date, according to the National Fire Prevention Association. If you're unsure whether your extinguishers are rechargeable, check the owner's manual or the pressure gauge. On most extinguishers, a needle on the pressure gauge will sit in a green-colored part of the dial of if the unit is properly charged and to red-colored areas if it needs to be recharged or is overcharged.

To determine whether extinguishers are properly charged, inspect them every 30 days and as detailed in the owner's manual. If you need to charge rechargeable models, bring it only to a certified fire-equipment-maintenance company.—Gian Trotta | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential information: Check out the ratings of smoke alarms and CO alarms including where to place them in your home. If you want to carry a fire extinguisher as part of a roadside-emergency kit, our Cars blog colleagues recommend a 1A10BC or a 2A10BC compact model. Finally, learn how to treat burns and scalds.

Want to start a debate? Bring up the subject of drying laundry on clotheslines

Health-care reform is an important and hotly debated national issue these days. While certainly not as pressing as health care, the subject of hanging laundry out to dry is something many people seem just as passionate about.

Consider the comments to our June 2009 post "Are Clotheslines Making a Comeback? 'Right-to-Dry Movement' Promotes Their Use" and those in response to The New York Times' recent engaging online debate "Rethinking Laundry in the 21st Century."

Right-to-dry-ers tout clotheslines and the like as tried-and-true energy savers that leave laundry smelling great. Some folks are skeptical about the practice, wondering whether line drying will leave their clothes feeling crunchy and questioning the added time it might take to dry their laundry. Those opposed to clotheslines feel they muck up their neighborhoods.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, the average American household uses about 11,000 kilowatt hours of electricity annually, with the typical electric clothes dryer consuming about 900 kWh—around what the average washing machine uses and slightly less than a typical refrigerator does.

If you're not ready to dry your laundry on a clothesline or on racks, follow these steps to cut back on dryer-related energy use:
• Use an automatic cycle for drying. This cycle will call on the dryer's moisture sensor, which automatically turns off the machine when the laundry is done. The sensor will work even if you select the less or more dry option.
• Remove the lint from the filter after every load. Built-up lint can reduce air circulation and make your dryer run longer. What's more, lint can clog the dryer vent, where it poses a significant fire hazard.
• Dry lightweight laundry in one load and heavier items, like towels and jeans, in another.—Kimberly Janeway | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential information: Give us your thoughts on clotheslines and line drying by posting a comment below. And if you're in the market for new laundry or other appliances, read about the U.S. Department of Energy's $300 million State Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate Program, otherwise known as cash for clunkers for appliances.

Smoke and CO alarms are key safety devices for the home

A recent fire at a home in Ross, Pennsylvania, serves as a reminder that you need reliable smoke and carbon-monoxide alarms properly placed throughout your home.

According to this report in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, 48-year-old Edward Stefanick remained asleep in his bedroom even as firefighters spent two hours battling a blaze in his home. "You would've thought that, by that time, he would've kind of rose and got himself out of there," Ross Fire Marshal John Reubi told the newspaper.

The layout of the home kept the bedroom largely clear of smoke, though Ross was disoriented when firefighters finally found him and was hospitalized in critical condition with a high carbon-monoxide level.

If you need to replace your existing (or buy new)  smoke and carbon-monoxide alarms, read our latest report on these devices and review our ratings of smoke and CO alarms and exclusive interactive (available to subscribers) to find the best models for your home. The highly rated First Alert OneLink SCO501CN smoke and carbon-monoxide alarm is shown.

Once you've bought your new smoke and carbon-monoxide alarms, be sure to install them in the right places.—Gian Trotta | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential information: Learn how to prevent kitchen and dryer fires.

During Fire Prevention Week 2009, get smart about kitchen fires

Cooking is the leading cause of home fires, and most of these fires occur when someone leaves food cooking unattended. Fire Prevention Week 2009, which runs through Saturday, October 10, is a good time to review cooking safety (watch the video, right) and fire safety in general, as recommended by the National Fire Protection Association, a nonprofit standard-setting organization.

Look for our new report on smoke and carbon-monoxide alarms in the November 2009 issue of Consumer Reports, online and on newsstands later today.

When you're cooking:
• Stay in the kitchen whenever you fry or broil food. When boiling or baking, check the food regularly and set a timer.
• Use back burners if you have young children. Enforce a kids-free-zone of at least 3 feet from the stove. Learn how to childproof your stove.
• Extinguish a small stovetop pan fire by placing a lid on pan and turning off the burner; be sure to wear an oven mitt. Do not pour water on a grease fire or use a fire extinguisher on a pan fire.
• Turn off the oven immediately and keep the oven door closed if there's an oven fire.
    
If you get a burn or scald, treat the area immediately by submerging it in cool water for 3 to 5 minutes, then cover the spot with a clean, dry cloth. Get medical help right away if the burn is bigger than your fist, and keep clothes, jewelry, and any metal off the area. Check out our expert advice on dealing with burns and scalds on ConsumerReportsHealth.org.—Kimberly Janeway | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential information: Set up or practice your fire-escape plan.

Tip of the Day: Be safe when grilling

Your grill might have served you well so far this summer, but a little bit of servicing now will ensure safe and effective cooking and protect its looks far into the fall and beyond. Here's how:

If your grill has become hard to light or the flame isn't as strong as it could be, check for blockages in the tubes that lead to the burner. Clear obstructions by using a wire or pipe cleaner and pushing debris through to the main part of the burner. Spiders love to build webs and nests in these areas; be sure to check for these, especially if you've just returned from vacation. You'll also want to inspect the hoses for cracks, holes, and sharp bends and replace it if necessary. Then do the following:

• Check the grills for gas leaks by mixing a small amount of dishwashing liquid and water in a spray bottle. Spray the hose and connections, and with the hose connected to the propane tank, open the gas. If bubbles appear, you need to replace your hose or fix a loose connection.

• Have your grill serviced if the burner flames are not blue. A yellow flame indicates clogged air inlets or that burners must be adjusted. 

• Clean the drip pan and remove the grates and burners and clean the firebox; grease and food often collect there.

• Clean both sides of the grates before cooking and after, too. Use a stiff wire brush, or a nylon brush for porcelain-coated, cast-iron grates. (Hint: To keep food from sticking on grates and making them harder to clean, fold two paper towels into a pad and dip in a little bowl of neutral-flavored vegetable oil, like canola oil. After you've preheated the grill and right before you cook, draw the pad across grates using a pair of tongs.)

• Examine the propane tank. Heavy rust, dents, or greenish-orange corrosion means you need a new tank.

If a fire does break out and you can safely turn off the gas, shut it down, the National Fire Protection Association advises. If flames are contained in a grill, close the lid to smother the flames. Douse small flare-ups with a spray of water, a bucket of sand, or the hose or fire extinguisher. If a fire breaks out and moves beyond your grill, call your fire department immediately and keep away from the grill.—Kimberly Janeway | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential information: Find out how to avoid the five most common grilling mistakes and watch the video above for more grilling advice.

Hurricane Bill and the Midwest tornadoes: Short- and long-term planning

Hurricane Bill is strengthening before a possible landfall on the Canadian Maritime coast, while Midwesterners are weathering severe thunderstorms in the wake of Wednesday’s tornadoes that struck parts of Minnesota and Nebraska.

These recent posts can help you cope with natural disasters of all kinds:

• Our Storm & Emergency Guide includes articles, downloads, and videos on the products and procedures that help you assess your risk and plan proactively.

• The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration recently issued an updated forecast for a below-normal Atlantic hurricane season but noted a past history of severe storms late in the season.

• Many insurers have reduced coverage and increased deductibles for perils like wind storms and hurricanes, making it even more important for you to make wise decisions about additional flood insurance. Watch the video above for more on flood insurance—Gian Trotta | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Recent California wildfires sparked by power equipment?

California officials say that sparks from a power tool used to clear brush was responsible for the Jesusita wildfires in Santa Barbara County that have destroyed or damaged dozens of homes and outbuildings and forced thousands to evacuate from their homes. (The map shows evacuation areas as of Sunday, May 10.)

Authorities declined to comment about the specific kind of implement that might have been at fault, according to this ABC News report. But "any time you use a power tool, there's always a possibility, especially if the conditions are right," a California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection official said.

Our experts agree, noting that carbon buildup near the exhaust port of gasoline engines can result in small pieces breaking loose, catching fire and being ejected as sparks. "But that's a very rare occurrence because most string trimmers, lawn mowers, and other power tools have a spark-arresting screen that prevent sparks from coming out," says our power-equipment guru Peter Sawchuk. "This could have been a case where someone was using an older model power tool. Or they could have pulled the spark arrestor out—even though it's a lot of work to remove one, and it doesn't improve performance in any way."

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger had declared May 2-9 Wildfire Awareness Week, and county officials had recently sent out notices requiring residents to clear brush around their homes by June 1 to reduce the risk of wildfires. Officials are still investigating the cause of the fires.—Gian Trotta | e-mail | Twitter

Essential information: Visit our Storm & Emergency Guide for information on dealing with wildfires. Our lawn-and-yard hub features buying guides and instructional videos on how to choose and safely use a wide array lawn and garden equipment.

As more Americans turn to biodiesel, safety issues become apparent

The prospect of saving money has seen more Americans turn their garage or shed into a refinery for biodiesel, which is made by converting vegetable oils or animal fats into automotive and home-heating fuel with specialized home-use systems.

You'll find hundreds of online sources of biodiesel processors, which range from a few hundred to several thousand dollars, like the $3,495 "Freedom Fueler Biodiesel Processor" shown. (There are also potential costs related to upgrading your electrical service and/or installing a fire-prevention system, not to mention possible hikes in your homeowners insurance.)

But a spate of biodiesel-related fires around the country highlights some of the very real safety risks associated with biodiesel, reports the Associated Press.

Biodiesel typically is made from a chemical reaction involving the oil or fat, methanol, a catalyst, and mild heat. But safely processing and handling the materials, which can be caustic or highly flammable, is far from foolproof, as illustrated by fires and explosions in Arizona, Colorado, Massachusetts, Oregon, and Washington state. 

Before you become a mini-member of OPEC, check with your town about fire-safety and building-code issues surrounding setting up a biodiesel operation at your home. And please follow all safety guidelines once you do start converting oil into fuel. Visit the National Renewable Energy Laboratory for more information on the safe handling and use of biodiesel.—Bob Markovich | e-mail | Twitter

Essential information: As our colleagues who cover cars have reported, the upside to biodiesel is that it's fairly widely available—you can find free sources of spent vegetable oil—and older diesel cars can seamlessly burn biodiesel or diesel.

But keep in mind that it takes a lot of effort to convert the oil, which costs more than petroleum diesel. What's more, since the quality of biodiesel varies widely, car companies will honor warranties only up to 5 percent biodiesel.

CPSC issues recalls of Valero propane tanks and Kidde XL fire extinguishers

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission today announced the recalls of about 919,000 tanks of propane made by Valero Marketing & Supply Co. due to a fire hazard and around 167,000 Kidde XL fire extinguishers (shown) because the pressurized cylinders can lose pressure and fail to operate. Read more about these recalls in this post on the Consumer Reports Safety Blog.

Propane recall essential information: Call 866-940-8235 (10 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday) or go to the Propane Recall Web site.

Fire extinguisher recall essential information: Call 888-345-4407 (8 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday) or go to the manufacturer's recall page.

Fire Prevention Week is October 5 -11

While it’s essential to always think about fire safety, Fire Prevention Week­—October 5-11—is a good time to make sure you and your family prevent a tragedy from happening at your home.

A 2006 fire in my suburban New York town illustrates just how quickly disaster can strike: A local family had gone out to dinner, leaving behind a teenaged houseguest. After the kid started to heat up some food in a skillet, he went upstairs to take a shower. The teenager forgot about the food, and within minutes, the charming Arts & Craft home was in flames. The house and everything in it were destroyed; luckily the teenager escaped uninjured.

Last year, fires in homes across the United States killed about 2,900 people and injured 14,000 others, according to the National Fire Protection Association. Cooking fires are the leading cause of fires in the home and fire injuries, according to the NFPA.

About one-third of cooking fires happen because nobody is keeping an eye on the stove. So stay in the kitchen whenever you fry, grill, or broil food, and when you leave the room, even briefly, turn off the stove. In other words, to quote from the NFPA’s current fire-safety campaign, “don’t be a doofus.”
Fire Prevention Week is a good time to develop a fire escape plan and practice it with your family. Also follow our basic safety tips for smoke and carbon-monoxide alarms and the advice on the NFPA site.—Kimberly Janeway

Essential information: Read our buyer’s guide to smoke and carbon-monoxide alarms.