this post was submitted on 15 Nov 2023
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Fire extinguishers are worthless to most. Now hear me out. Most fire extinguishers go bad after ~a year of immobility and tend to be kept for several years after. When a fire breaks out, every second matters and fetching a worthless fire extinguisher costs time that no one has.
If you buy someone a fire extinguisher, you have to take on a degree of stewardship and explain the issue. You become fire extinguisher tech support. Set a calendar for them to periodically turn their fire extinguisher or it’s a paperweight. My father burned down the kitchen in an oil fire but luckily had a hand-me-down fire extinguisher to frustratedly shake for a minute. If you give, expect to educate.
I don't think that's true anymore. It used to be the case in older types that the powder inside would clamp after some time but the new powders don't do it. You just have to make sure that the gas is still pressurized inside.
Every fire extinguisher we use at my workplace has to be recertified yearly, even the brand spanking new ones
Fire guy doing it has told me that even modern ones still can go bad from just sitting there for a year
I've just looked it up and as I've said: extinguisher can last up to 20 years and you only have to check the gas pressure and if there is any psychical damage. But I know that in old extinguishers the powder inside could clamp up and proper way to use it was to shake it first. Hasn't been the case for quite some time now.
Good tips, but FWIW ours has been sitting around for probably over a decade and it worked just fine
A fire blanket for a kitchen oil fire or co2 extinguisher would be better?
I imagine a co2 extinguisher in a home kitchen would be better a solid portion of the time, but a blanket would be better overall. Oil fires are often in awkward positions and covering them completely can be a challenge with the adrenaline shakes. It really depends on your kitchen’s arrangement but a blanket would be ideal in reasonable conditions. If you have someone else you can reasonably expect to assist, I’d get both.