On this page, we provide some guidelines regarding the recommended number and type of fire extinguishers in a private residence. For the legally required number and type of fire extinguishers for professional use and common areas of apartment buildings, please see the page "How many and what fire extinguishers do I need for professional use and apartments?".
There are no laws requiring you to provide fire extinguishers in a private room. That does not alter the fact that there are a number of clear recommendations.
1. Fire extinguishers for the kitchen
Around half of all home fires start in the kitchen. And that's no surprise, because in the kitchen we often literally play with fire. There are therefore some clear recommendations that will immediately make your kitchen a lot more fireproof.
- Provide a fire blanket to cover small, starting fires quickly or to quickly help someone who caught on fire
- Provide a heat detector that warns you on time when a fire breaks out. Smoke detectors are not suitable for the kitchen, as they will also give an alarm in the event of ordinary water steam during cooking.
In addition to these two points, it is also recommended to have a small fire extinguisher present in the kitchen. We recommend an ABF foam fire extinguisher. This extinguisher is not only suitable for classic fires of solids and liquids, it can also extinguish F-class fires (cooking oil and fats).
These extinguishers are ideal for boilovers and burning oil fires that you can't extinguish with a fire blanket. The following extinguishers are therefore highly recommended:
So your kitchen is the most fireproof with a fire blanket, heat detector, and a small ABF extinguisher.
2. Fire extinguishers for other parts of the house
It is recommended to provide a fire extinguisher for other areas of your home. You are not bound by any legal requirements, which means that you have the choice of installing several smaller extinguishers, or 1 single larger extinguisher of for example 6 litres or kilograms.
At home, foam extinguishers are recommended over powder extinguishers. Foam extinguishers have the advantage that they cause very little collateral damage and that the foam is easy to clean up after use. The disadvantage is that they are not frost-resistant (but ABF foam extinguishers are!). Powder extinguishers have the advantage that they can extinguish gas fires, but they also cause collateral damage to electrical appliances (even if you do not directly aim towards them) and the powder is difficult to clean up (an industrial vacuum cleaner is recommended).
3. How many fire extinguishers should I install?
Ideally, you should provide 1 extinguishing unit on each floor of your home, which is a foam extinguisher 6l. This can also be divided into several smaller fire extinguishers.
Do you prefer to place fewer fire extinguishers? In that case, a good option is placing a 6-litre extinguisher close to the front door. In case of a fire, it can be used to make one attempt to put out the fire while fleeing the house. If this attempt fails, you can immediately leave the house.
Need advice?
Do you have any additional questions or need more information? Do not hesitate to contact our experts for advice!