Questions You Might Have About Fire Equipment for Your Home

Having the right fire equipment in your home can literally mean the difference between life and death. Fires can spread very quickly in a home and, unlike an office or commercial facility, you may not have emergency lights that switch on or a quick evacuation plan for when a fire breaks out. If you're thinking of upgrading the fire equipment in your home, note a few questions you might have about your choices and how they work so you can know the best choice for keeping yourself, your home, and your family safe.

Do home sprinklers cause flooding or get the entire home wet?

Sprinklers can be installed in a home just as they are in commercial facilities. However, if you're hesitant to have them installed in your home because you're worried about flooding or having your entire home suffer water damage, note that they are often zoned. This means that just the sprinkler or sprinklers over a heat source or flame will come on during a fire, and not all the sprinklers in your home. If there is a fire in the kitchen or the bedroom, you don't need to worry about having the living room carpet ruined and you also don't need to worry about flooding, as these sprinklers won't use enough water to actually flood your home.

Is a carbon monoxide sensor really necessary in homes today?

Remember that carbon monoxide cannot be seen and it doesn't have any distinct odor; it can also result from a number of faulty pieces of equipment in the home. This can be your furnace, your portable generator, a gas-powered space heater, a car that you're working on in the garage, and the like. 

Carbon monoxide might not necessarily cause a fire to be dangerous; breathing it in can cause damage to a person's lungs and breathing abilities. Having this sensor can alert you to potential fire hazards such as a gas leak in your furnace, but it can also mean knowing if the air in your home is safe and healthy.

How many fire extinguishers are needed in a home?

There is no "one size fits all" answer, but consider your fire risks. Homes should always have a fire extinguisher in or near the kitchen, but if you smoke, you may want one in the living room and bedroom as well. If you have a wood-burning fireplace or wood stove, it's good to have an extinguisher close by. If you work on cars in the garage, you might need one there as well. Overestimate the number of extinguishers you need so you and your family are always safe.