It may have an expiry date somewhere,

Just checked my 'Imperial' 4.5kg units, no expiry or manufacturing date. I've written the date we bought them on the back in indelible marker, will replace at 5 years.

BTW, the reason we got the 4.5kg units is that they are the biggest that Wifey can comfortably pick up with one hand.

Yes I have a 2.3kg Imperial one with a manufacture date of 2009.

It may have an expiry date somewhere,

Just checked my 'Imperial' 4.5kg units, no expiry or manufacturing date. I've written the date we bought them on the back in indelible marker, will replace at 5 years.

BTW, the reason we got the 4.5kg units is that they are the biggest that Wifey can comfortably pick up with one hand.

The Chief Stoker would have been proud of you...

On a serious note I had never thought of it until I was getting ready to make toffee in the kitchen, when I suddenly realised there was no extinguisher or smoke detector.

Where can I buy smoke alarms and fire blankets from?

Try HomePro or Thai Watsadu

And a quick additional question for all those people who do have extinguishers, when was the last time they were tested or had the pressure checked? Do all responsible people in the household know how to use the particular extinguisher you have?

It is unfortunately mostly a feel-good purchase to have extinguishers about the house, but will they work when you actually do need them?

This is not trying to put a downer on the OP as to me it is extremely important to have first aid fire-fighting applications at hand, but the points above are often missed................

Mine is 2 years old. How often do they need to be tested?

It depends on the fire extinguisher type, but normally the visual inspections should be monthly and preventitive maintenance every year. The thumb below is the recommendations from the NFPA - National Fire Protection Association for full maintenance periods for extinguisher types.

(Sorry for the quality of the attachment; tried to reduce for the upload but it is still readable).

Chris

I have two in the house and one in the boat. Tried smoke detectors but they kept going off when I burn the toast - every day.

A fire extinguisher almost certainly saved our house some years back. I stupidly tested a gas bottle stove (the type thet screw directly onto a gas cylinder) the seal gave way and the excaping cas ignited. I knocked the bottle onto the floor but the gas was expanding I guess as the flame increased, ran along the floor. up the cupboard uniy tto the cieling. I would point out that our house is basically wooden. The extinguisher was in the kitchen - by the door - and a few seconds later the fire was out. Without that extinguisher I think we may have lost everything. Get one, no get two - they are worth every dollar.

Well a pretty healthy 65% of voters have at least one extinguisher

Apparently in the US 75% of homes have an extinguisher.

I found no figures for the UK but did see that 88% of the fires that were tackled with a portable were extinguished, definitely a worthwhile investment.

There is a large extinguisher in the corridor of my condo about 3 yards from my front door. It has a date stamp on it and gets inspected from time to time. There is a long firehose in there also.

In my unit there are 3 automatic sprinklers in the ceiling. Given that I never cook anything more than toast and an occasional bacon sandwich I doubt that I will ever have any use for any of this equipment.

Cooking with open flames is, of course, prohibited in my building and I was horrified to read that one poster in this thread uses gas in his condo.