We believe that it’s important to be prepared for all types of emergencies, including accidental fires.
That is why we recommend kitchen fire blankets to help protect homeowners in case of a fire.
They are personal protective fire blankets often made of fiberglass material that can be used as a first line of defense to smother small fires.
A fire safety blanket is usually an easy and often mess-free way to put out small fires in the kitchen, a boat, the garage, the grill or anywhere a fire may occur.
It’s simply a good idea for every home.
A word of caution for elderly adults and caregivers! If a household resident is not physically or cognitively capable of handling a fire extinguisher or a fire blanket – we strongly recommend to immediately leave the home and contact emergency services.
What Are Fire Blankets?
Fire blankets (also known as fire extinguishing blankets or kitchen fire blankets) are rectangular blankets that can be used to smother an open flame.
Extremely useful in the event of a grease fire, and other small fires these lightweight and portable covers can quickly put out small flames before they spread throughout your home.
Fire blankets are designed to resist the heat of an open flame. They are made from specially treated and woven fibers.
These special fibers allow for a controlled release of air that smothers the fire without generating dangerous backdrafts or other secondary dangers.
There are different size fire blankets, which makes sense.
Small cooking fires can be smothered by using a smaller blanket whereas a larger outdoor grill would probably need a larger blanket.
Before you make any purchasing decisions on which size fire blanket to buy we recommend that you contact your local fire department and ask them for advice for your specific situation.
How Do Fire Blankets Work?
A fire blanket is placed over the top of a fire in order to smother the flames and cut off its oxygen supply.
This simple act of cutting off the oxygen supply to a fire will usually extinguish it.
When you use a fire blanket, make sure that you place it over the entire surface area of the fire. This will help to prevent the fire from spreading or growing.
Fire blankets are most effective on small fires. If a fire is large, it is best to leave the area immediately and call the fire department.
Standard Size Fire Blankets – Size 40 inches by 40 inches
This package comes with 5 standard size fire blankets (just over 1 square meter) and 5 hooks to hang them up with.
Large Size Fire Blankets – Size 59 inches by 59 inches
This package comes with an extra large sized fire blanket, a hook to hang it on and heat resistant gloves.
Click Here To See Even More Sizes Of Fire Blankets From JJ Care
What Are The Best Fire Blankets To Buy?
When homeowners search for the best fire blanket to buy, the brand that is often rated the top is JJ Care. We believe they are your best choice.
They come in a variety of sizes and are available in packages that come with gloves or hooks or other accessories. All of the JJ Care fire blankets come with grommets that allow for easy hanging on a hook.
The JJ Care Fire Blankets can withstand high temperatures up to 1200 degrees Fahrenheit or 650 degrees Celsius.
The smaller blankets are 39 inches by 39 inches and the larger blankets can cover an area of .almost 5 feet square.
When To Use A Kitchen Fire Blanket vs. A Fire Extinguisher
In addition to smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors, we recommend having both a fire extinguisher and a fire blanket readily available in your home.
Each one of these safety equipment products has it’s own purpose to help save you, your family and your home from a devastating fire.
Kitchen Fire Blankets
Kitchen fire blankets are designed to be used on open flames and Class A and B type of fires. They are best used for a grease and/or an electrical fire.
Class A Fires – Ordinary combustibles such as wood, paper, cloth, plastic, etc.
Class B Fires – Flammable liquids such as grease, oil, gasoline, paint, solvents, etc.
Although the temperature of a kitchen grease fire can reach 450 degrees Fahrenheit, the blanket should extinguish even these high heat sources with minimal risk. This makes them perfect for something like a small pan fire.
Most common occurrences when you can use a fire blanket are:
- Small kitchen fires from a stove top
- While grilling in the backyard
- When spilled oil catches fire
- A small clothing fire. This often happens when someone is cooking over an open flame with large, loose sleeves).
In addition to preventing fires from spreading, these blankets can reduce the likelihood of fire-related injuries by offering a protective barrier that reflects radiant heat.
The importance of extinguishing fires is vital not only in the kitchen, but also in the garage or workshop. That’s why we recommend that every home have several of these throughout the house. They certainly are inexpensive enough!
The potential for fire damage is great in any house and a fire blanket can be an extremely effective safety precaution that will mitigate losses by preventing small fires from becoming large ones.
Fire Extinguishers
The benefit of fire extinguishers is that you can suppress the fire without having to get close to it! This would be the easiest way to put out a fire for many people but if handling a fire extinguisher is difficult for you, a fire blanket may be able to help.
Many common fire extinguishers have some water in the foam that comes out of the extinguisher and that is why they are not useful for grease and electric fires.
That’s why it’s so important to use the right class fire extinguisher for the right type of fire. Of course, having multiple extinguishers in a home is not most homeowners do and remembering which one to use during a fire (when you are scared and in a panic) can be difficult.
The Different Classes Of Fire Extinguishers
- Class A – ordinary fires, including burning wood, cloth, paper, and plastic
- Class B – flammable liquid fires, including burning gasoline, oil, propane, and kerosene
- Class C – electrical fires, where a short circuit or overloaded electrical outlet sets fire to nearby combustible items
- Class D – flammable metal fires, including sodium, potassium, titanium, and magnesium (usually found in chemical laboratories and industrial plants)
- Class K – kitchen fires, where grease or hot oils catch fire while cooking
For most homes, the class A, B, C and K fire extinguishers are what would be needed and most often used.
How To Use A Kitchen Fire Blanket
Although a fire extinguisher can be very easy to use for most homeowners, for some older adults, it may present a problem. That’s why the use of fire blankets may be a good solution.
But Please Know That A Fire Extinguisher Is The Best Option For Fire Emergencies.
It’s very easy to use and does not require dexterity or strength to use it.
Here are some tips on how to properly use kitchen fire blankets.
1. Hang your new fire blanket far enough away from stoves and grills so that if there were to be a fire you could easily and safely get to it. You don’t want to have to reach over a fire to grab the fire blanket.
2. The first thing you should try to do is to turn off the heat source if this is possible to do safely. If not, then proceed with putting the fire extinguishing blanket on the fire.
3. Pull down on the tabs to pull out the blanket and shake it so that it’s entirely open.
4. Hold onto the tabs at the corners of the blanket and keep your hands behind and covered by the fire blanket.
5. Approach the fire with the blanket protecting you and keeping the blanket at arms length.
6. Place the blanket over the fire source covering it completely. This cuts off the oxygen supply to the fire.
7. If you weren’t able to turn off the heat source before now, then proceed to do that right away.
8. Leave the fire retardant blanket there for at least 30 minutes. Even if the fire is not fully extinguished, or a few embers are still glowing under the blanket, do not remove it too early – wait until you are sure there is no further risk.
9. We recommend you contact the fire department to come in and remove the blanket.
10. It’s also a good idea to throw away a used fire blanket and purchase a new one.
An additional use of these amazing fire blankets is that you can wrap it around yourself and use it as a heat shield in case you have to run out of your home or a burning building through a fire to get outside.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Fire Blankets Be Used On Clothing Fires?
Where Should A Fire Blanket Be Located?
Do Fire Blankets Need To Be Wall Mounted?
Do Fire Blankets Expire?
What Are Fire Blankets Made Of?
Final Thoughts
If you’re going to do all you can to keep yourself, your family and your house safe then why not make the small investment in a kitchen fire blanket?
Of course, they are not only for use in the kitchen – hang one wherever a small fire may occur.
They are easy to use, even for elderly adults and can make the difference in saving a life, and a house too!
