Questions tagged [fire]

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Plastic / weird odor coming from outlets

None of the outlets are grounded and two of them are omitting a strong plastic/ electrical smell. We rent our house but dont have a lease. Our landlord threatened to "find new renters" if ...
Maizy's user avatar
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0 answers
32 views

What can I safely burn isopropyl gel fuel in?

I would like to decant isopropyl gel fuel (i.e. Terraflame) into a safe container to burn in my fireplace. In other words, I would like to create a fire bowl essentially in my indoor fireplace. What ...
Sarah's user avatar
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1 answer
39 views

Can this upper vent be covered?

can this upper vent be covered/removed? This is a wood fireplace, that we plan on using. There is also a hole in the right side of the fireplace. We plan on putting a large post/shelf where this vent ...
Cameron's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
79 views

Does this message from the Fire Department suggest the fire suppression and/or alarm system may be sufficiently faulty to endanger life and property? [closed]

Does this message from the Fire Department pasted on the main fire control panel of my apartment building suggest that the fire suppression sprinklers and/or fire detection and/or alarm system may be ...
A K S Rao's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
341 views

Reduce fireplace vent soot on house siding

We've noticed a buildup of soot in the past couple months on the siding of our new-to-us house where the gas fireplace vents. Should we be concerned? Is there any way to reduce the buildup besides not ...
Stephen Niedzielski's user avatar
0 votes
2 answers
68 views

How should I go about cleaning and restoration after brush fire damage? [closed]

My neighborhood is the victim of the Coastal fires a few months back. Our house has some soot around the windows, a few windows are also bent. We changed out the insulation in the attic, and also ...
Suz's user avatar
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0 votes
2 answers
170 views

Why are houses not going up in flames over ovens and irons being left on?

I'm aware of someone accidentally leaving the burner on, twice (once with something on the range, once without). Clothes irons are left on as well. Things like this must be happening relatively ...
Ken - Enough about Monica's user avatar
0 votes
2 answers
515 views

Concerned about 240v outlet in my garage. Says 20 amp 250 volt, but inside the box only two wires are connected to the breakers? [closed]

It has two adjacent 20 amp breakers, with one wire from each going to the receptacle. There appears to be a thin ground wire coming out of the insulation inside the breaker box, but it is not attached ...
user avatar
1 vote
2 answers
1k views

Can I burn away a rotten fence post in the ground?

One of the posts for my fence rotted away underground to where the post above ground could be simply pulled out. I fixed a ring with some lag bolts to the top of the remaining post (which is about 3 ...
Drew's user avatar
  • 163
1 vote
1 answer
633 views

How do I connect these two pieces of dryer duct in my attic?

I am about to install a Dryer by mounting it on the wall in an inverted fashion, and then venting it through an existing dryer vent setup that has been designed with a duct joint that goes into the ...
Chris T's user avatar
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1 vote
1 answer
133 views

Fire Sealing Holes to Crawl Space?

I live in the United States in the State of Idaho. I have done a DIY project some time ago and my research then (Fall 2016) indicated that holes going from the first floor directly into the crawl ...
wswartzendruber's user avatar
0 votes
2 answers
253 views

Do USB and Ethernet extension cords violate typical fire codes?

It is commonplace for firecodes to tell us not to use extension cords. But for living in a rental, sometimes there is no other way to transmit datalines between rooms securely. A reasonable person ...
nick carraway's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
81 views

Who (what trade/discipline) to contact for fire code remediation approval?

Background: My wife and I are foster parents in Texas (Austin specifically, in case it matters), and one of the requirements for that certification is that our house has to pass a fire inspection ...
Matt Mills's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
187 views

Removing fire detection panel

We recently moved into a house which used to be tenanted to five adults, and because of safety regs had to have very comprehensive fire safety. There is a fire panel, and there are fire alarm push ...
Tom's user avatar
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0 votes
1 answer
92 views

Ash/soot test after a fire

Pardon me if this is not a correct community to ask this question. My town was affected by the recent Marshall wildfire in CO. Some streets are gone, it's surreal here. Our street is saved, but there ...
Tagar's user avatar
  • 281
1 vote
1 answer
398 views

How to install wire conduit for hiding cables in fire barrier wall?

The space and the goal: I have a townhouse, with a fire barrier between the units. This fire barrier wall is also where the TV is mounted, and I want to install a media box behind the TV, and then an ...
Itallia's user avatar
  • 21
0 votes
0 answers
186 views

Are these black marks on the wall from sanding?

I was told these markings on the wall are from "sanding". I believe the walls are plaster. I wasn't sure if I should believe it since it's in a strange pattern. However, it might be ...
K. Freestone's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
340 views

Fireplace bi-fold doors, should they be opened or closed when you have a fire?

I work for a company that makes glass for fireplaces and we often get questions from customers about whether glass bi-fold doors on a fireplace should remain open when the fire is going or should be ...
Mike Monaghan's user avatar
0 votes
2 answers
171 views

zinsco breaker box in garage

Just got this place. This panel is in the garage. It is connected to the house main on a 50amp breaker. the panel in garage has 8 circuits going out to 20 outlets and one light fixture on ceiling. I ...
Brian's user avatar
  • 1
0 votes
2 answers
149 views

Is it safe to run servers in a room that contains a boiler? [fire safety]

My landlord says I can use the garage in our house for an office. The garage contains a gas combi boiler. Is it safe to setup servers in this garage? If not, is there any way to make it safe? I'm ...
Jack Robson's user avatar
-1 votes
1 answer
140 views

Basement Bedroom Repair to Original Configuration (Does this count as a bedroom again?)

We purchased a 1978 multi-story house that stated it was 3 bedroom (BR) and 3.5 bathrooms (BA) with a partially unfinished basement. There is a room in the basement partially finished with a closet ...
Roberts2600's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
470 views

Can a foundation be reused after fire damage?

This might be slightly off topic here, but I thought I'd ask. I had a friend of a friend lose his home during these devastating fires in Oregon and California. I am trying to help out and was ...
George Anderson's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
113 views

How do I increase flame size in my outdoor fire pit?

We have a built-in gas fire pit in our backyard and it all works but the maximum flame is doesn't provide enough warmth when I crank the valve to its max setting. I've tried pulling off the knob but I ...
Andrew P's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
67 views

Fire Extinguisher 6 year maintenance [duplicate]

I have presented fire extinguishers to be tagged to a Florida Fire company. They indicated that the devices are old and need a 6 year maintenance inspection. What exactly is tested?
gatorback's user avatar
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0 votes
1 answer
225 views

Does varnishing floors create a fire hazard?

I am considering buying a house with new wooden floors. I am not sure yet what type of varnish/sealent is in use. I am concerned that the fire escape route is wooden, and I do not want to increase the ...
spraff's user avatar
  • 221
2 votes
1 answer
85 views

What exactly is tested when a fire extinguisher is tagged?

I am just curious: the obvious is that the pressure mass hydrostatic test can be inspected /measured to ensure that the device has not been discharged. Is there anything else that is measured \ ...
gatorback's user avatar
  • 3,006
0 votes
0 answers
24 views

How to select weight (amount of fire retardant) in Fire-Extinguisher

Reference: https://www.qrfs.com/blog/66-ultimate-guide-to-fire-extinguisher-types-servicing-and-uses/ I have an multi-use office and residential building. I am interested in not only meeting code, ...
gatorback's user avatar
  • 3,006
3 votes
1 answer
104 views

How can I remove smoke odor after a fire?

There was a bad fire (everyone got out of the building in time, thankfully. It could have been so much worse!) in the apartment upstairs from mine. We didn't get any fire damage but there was a lot of ...
Amanda's user avatar
  • 1,120
1 vote
1 answer
284 views

How to put out a polystyrene fire?

I'm planning to use some polystyrene in a project. I will try to avoid all fire hazards, but in case the worst happens is there anything special I should know about how to fight polystyrene fires? ...
capet's user avatar
  • 471
0 votes
2 answers
67 views

lighting fire safety

Is it safe to use a soft 3 way 30/50/150 Watt incandescent bulb in a lamp that requires 23 CFL max light to prevent fire. It is the only bulb that I could find but only the 150W setting works with ...
Jeanie's user avatar
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1 vote
1 answer
300 views

Fire safety for room on interior of home

I’m looking at a house that has a room on the interior (highlighted in red below) with no window/door to the outside of the area. Knowing that this isn’t fire code compliant to be considered a bedroom,...
coreyg's user avatar
  • 159
0 votes
0 answers
239 views

Is a fire collar for internal pipes required if my house was built before the (UK) regulation?

I've had a surveyor round my property tutting a lot at the fact a fire collar was not fit around an internal soil pipe that runs from the internal garage to the above floors. I understand his concerns ...
Scott's user avatar
  • 23
1 vote
1 answer
339 views

Burnt wire in GE stove

I spilled some water on the knobs of my GE stove. 5 minutes later, I heard some buzzing and then there was a brief fire from a knob for 30 seconds. I turned off the gas and electricity, opened the ...
goodcow's user avatar
  • 127
0 votes
2 answers
900 views

What happens when you accidently connect a neutral wire with a hot wire with a screw?

So i am worried about a fire hazard. My hot and neutral wire are packed together into a metal conduit. If there was a screw that accidentally gets screwed into the conduit and connects the hot and ...
Jumper89's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
369 views

Fire door modification beyond trim allowance

So I bought some fire doors. "The doors comprise cellulosic (flaxboard) cored, timber framed leaves". The Certifire certificate of approval is here: https://www.jeld-wen.co.uk/getmedia/...
fractor's user avatar
  • 133
0 votes
3 answers
385 views

Electrical box caught on fire

A sub panel caught on fire just in the garage area. Do I need to rewire the whole house or can I just get a big junction box and splice all branch circuits and run it to my new electrical panel ?
Isaiah's user avatar
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1 vote
0 answers
173 views

Is an aluminium radiant barrier allowed to cover insulation paper facing instead of drywall?

First some context: Geographical location: City of Sacramento, CA, USA Building: Residential detached garage. Goal: To keep it cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Approach: kraft paper faced ...
Johan van Ravenhorst's user avatar
1 vote
3 answers
3k views

How can I direct heat from a fire pit table?

I have a propane fire pit in the center of a table on our patio. Since the weather is still fairly chilly where we are, I was trying to think of something creative to channel the heat towards the 4 ...
Justin Todd's user avatar
1 vote
2 answers
3k views

Can you run an individual wire to link smoke detector together?

In my home, I have a hard-wired smoke detector / fire alarm (https://www.lowes.com/pd/First-Alert-Wireless-Interconnect-AC-Hardwired-120-Volt-Photoelectric-Sensor-Smoke-Detector/1000456469) that is ...
Roberts2600's user avatar
6 votes
1 answer
2k views

Carpet badly burned, do I need to replace the whole thing?

My carpet was badly burned by a heat lamp. Bad enough that the room started to fill with smoke. The burn is about 8 inches in diameter. The entire room is about 13'x 14'. Is it possible to just ...
Unknown's user avatar
  • 215
0 votes
1 answer
1k views

How do i replace the battery in this smoke detector? It wont stop beeping

Its been beeping for ages and im sick of it, ive tried sliding as it says to but ive had no luck...
Connor's user avatar
  • 1
2 votes
0 answers
220 views

Drywall “box” around firewall penetration inside stud cavity

In my condo (three floor building) the interior walls are all Fireguard-grade 5/8 drywall attached to 11 gauge structural steel studs (which SUCK except for when hurricanes blow through). Each ...
benmarks's user avatar
  • 192
1 vote
1 answer
2k views

If I have a firepit on my screen porch, how high does the ceiling need to be? [duplicate]

I'm building a large screen porch. The roof is held up by wooden trusses and there is no ceiling. There will be ceiling fans attached to the joists on the trusses (but they won't be run when we have ...
Tango's user avatar
  • 518