Keep Your Home Safe: Fire Extinguishers and CO Detectors

You may think this post is boring. But you probably haven’t spent much time thinking about home safety. But we girls gotta stay safe. So, go to the hardware store and pick these two items up, like yesterday.

1) Fire Extinguisher

I recommend getting one that’s big enough, but not so heavy that you can’t lift it if you need to.  There’s a lot to understanding which one is right for you, but I like the 5-lb Kidde Pro 5/Pro 340 Fire Extinguisher.

You should follow the insert guidelines, but I like to keep one near the front door, one in the garage (in case I need to access it from outside), one in the kitchen near the stove and grill/fireplace, and one in a central location that I can access from anywhere in the house. Make sure you know how to use it (including pointing at the base of the fire, not the top of the flames). You also want to test your fire detectors once a month and make sure the batteries are working. Boring, yes, but not worth risking your life over.

2) Carbon Monoxide Detector

Some police departments will issue these for free. I like the Kidde KN-COEG-3 CO and Gas Alarm because it plugs into the wall, and I don’t have to worry about the batteries dying. Carbon monoxide is an odorless gas that kills people every winter. I don’t know about you, but I like to know when I’m near an odorless toxic gas. So buy at least one for each floor of your house. Test it monthly as well.

-Reviews by ReplaceAMan™