Fire Safety: How do you prevent a disaster?

[Bill284]

Hello everyone.
Here is my question.

How do you prevent a grow room fire?

Do not let this happen to you.

For those of you who don't know I had a horrendous fire in my grow room.
For those that do know, Thank you for all your love and support.
Everyone here has been a godsend of love and positivity.

My recommendation for everyone is as follows.

1- put drywall on the ceiling and walls of your grow room.
Any fire retarded material is recommended.

2- install atleast 2 smoke detectors in your grow room.
Install one directly above your light.
And one at the opening that can easily hear.
And a CO,2 Detector at the opening.

3- do not put panda film near any heat source or possible source of ignition
panda film is flammable and produces toxic smoke it will spread the fire everywhere.

4- do not use wood or any other flammable material to hang or brace anything in your room.

5- install a full size fire extinguisher at the entrance to your room.
Make sure its easily accessible.
Small fire extinguishers are not sufficient.
They discharge in seconds and do not do the job you are expecting.

I CAN NOT EMPHASIZE THIS ENOUGH. GET A FULL SIZE EXTINGUISHER!!!!!

6- do not use thin or cheep extention cords.
Get minimum #14 guage extension cords #12 would be better.
Don't cheep out here.

7- if you use a power bar make sure it has a GFI breaker on it.
Don't use cheep or dollar store power bars.
Spend the extra 20 bucks and get a good one.

8- keep your room tidy.
Do not store anything in your that is not needed.
Especially if it is flammable

9- do not overload any circuits.
Make sure you are plugged into a 15 amp breaker.
Do not change breakers to 20 amp.
If you need more power run another dedicated circuit to your room.

Please do not let this happen to you.
**********************
Also everyone in Canada.
**********************
Since growing is legal here you Must inform your insurance company that you have a grow.
Just because its legal doesn't mean your covered.
You must inform them and fill out a small questionnaire.
There won't be a problem you just have to let them know ahead of time.

Please everyone head my warnings.
Don't let something like this happen to you and destroy your life.
These small measures can mean the difference between cleaning up a mess and loosing your home or worse.

Please be careful and weary of possible problems.
Thank you for reading this and doing what I recommend.
Small measures can mean the difference between life and death.

If anyone has any other recommendations as I am not an expert please share them with us.

Bill

 

[Emilya Green]

Thank you Bill, and I want to say how so very sorry I am for you and what you have gone through. I need to heed your advice and get rid of all my cheap extension cords and power strips and replace any fans over 2 years old. I am also thinking very seriously of not growing this winter when it is necessary to run space heaters up there in the attic. I think I need to get a second large fire extinguisher too... one for both floors of the house and both of the crazy women who would be running up to fight a fire. Ms. J., my live in firefighting professional, seconds all of the advice you gave here and based on my grow room she also advises everyone to get all of those cords up off of the floor... shock hazards are a very real threat in some of our grow rooms. Calling the insurance company is a good suggestion too... I signed that form that said I would not be producing meth in the home and all that... so I naturally hesitated in telling them about my legal grow op... but thanks to your warning, that will be corrected this week.

 

[Bill284]

Think you Bill, and I want to say how so very sorry I am for you and what you have gone through. I need to heed your advice and get rid of all my cheap extension cords and power strips and replace any fans over 2 years old. I am also thinking very seriously of not growing this winter when it is necessary to run space heaters up there in the attic. I think I need to get a second large fire extinguisher too... one for both floors of the house and both of the crazy women who would be running up to fight a fire. Ms. J., my live in firefighting professional, seconds all of the advice you gave here and based on my grow room she also advises everyone to get all of those cords up off of the floor... shock hazards are a very real threat in some of our grow rooms. Calling the insurance company is a good suggestion too... I signed that form that said I would not be producing meth in the home and all that... so I naturally hesitated in telling them about my legal grow op... but thanks to your warning, that will be corrected this week.

Thank you my friend.
Also some more good advice there.
I forgot about fans and location of cords.
And a good fire extinguisher on each level is a great idea.
Also a smoke detector outside your bedroom is a must.
Stay safe
Bill.

 

[Rexer]

Hey Bill

Thanks for posting this.

I'll reach out to mine to see what they say.
I've done lots of thinking since the fire and have marked a few spots for improvement. Some were already in the planning (updating receptacles, and wiring in some extra receptacles), and will be done asap now. I already use a 10 guage for my extension cord.

While part of me thinks they are most likely gimmicks, I see these fire suppression devices that explode under heat and release a fire extinguisher powder....a few of those on top of the tent maybe?

 

[Roy Growin]

Hi Bill - great positive post borne of foul circumstance
I have checked my kit and it is all on 30ma trips and the fan and light both have thermal cut, all cables off the floor and nothing else in the tent (or on top)
I will be taking your advice on the extinguishers though - good shout, never really thought about it but of course it should be a no-brainer
All the best and cheers

 

[Bill284]

Hey Bill

Thanks for posting this.

I'll reach out to mine to see what they say.
I've done lots of thinking since the fire and have marked a few spots for improvement. Some were already in the planning (updating receptacles, and wiring in some extra receptacles), and will be done asap now. I already use a 10 guage for my extension cord.

While part of me thinks they are most likely gimmicks, I see these fire suppression devices that explode under heat and release a fire extinguisher powder....a few of those on top of the tent maybe?

Great idea Rexer.
If you can find that device please post a link so we can all get one easily.

Bill

 

[Bill284]

Hi Bill - great positive post borne of foul circumstance
I have checked my kit and it is all on 30ma trips and the fan and light both have thermal cut, all cables off the floor and nothing else in the tent (or on top)
I will be taking your advice on the extinguishers though - good shout, never really thought about it but of course it should be a no-brainer
All the best and cheers

Please get a big fire extinguisher.
My life would be totally different right now if I had a full size extinguisher.
I used the two small ones I had which were insufficient.
I got burnt and had major smoke inhalation using those toy extinguishers.
They are a false sense of security.
Bill

 

[Rexer]

If you go on the 'Zon (US), search "fire suppression ball"

 

[Gardinhackle]

While I haven't grown indoors this is still sage advice for anything we do and I practice it diligently especially out in my shop. Very sorry you had to go through this Bill! Thanks for the reminder.

 

[Bill284]

If you go on the 'Zon (US), search "fire suppression ball"

Amazing @Rexer you rock.
There you go.
If I'd hung that in my room all I'd have to do is clean up the mess.
So simple and saves lives.
Another great idea.
Bill

 

[Rexer]

Please get a big fire extinguisher.
My life would be totally different right now if I had a full size extinguisher.
I used the two small ones I had which were insufficient.
I got burnt and had major smoke inhalation using those toy extinguishers.
They are a false sense of security.
Bill

It's good to learn from what can be improved, and your doing everyone a great service with this thread. But my friend, I say this only as a gentle reminder- don't go down the what if path. Who knows? If you had that big extinguisher, you might have put it out- you may also have stayed in the thick for longer and passed away from smoke inhalation.

That being said, yeah...those tiny things are good for a tiny controlled fire, not much more, and ill be upgrading ours to larger ones, (thank you ). The larger ones can also make the difference in getting a family out of a burning home safer.

 

[Bill284]

It's good to learn from what can be improved, and your doing everyone a great service with this thread. But my friend, I say this only as a gentle reminder- don't go down the what if path. Who knows? If you had that big extinguisher, you might have put it out- you may also have stayed in the thick for longer and passed away from smoke inhalation.

That being said, yeah...those tiny things are good for a tiny controlled fire, not much more, and ill be upgrading ours to larger ones, (thank you ). The larger ones can also make the difference in getting a family out of a burning home safer.

I've lived in the what if world for too long now.
You are right.
I've moved on now and just want everyone to learn from my mistakes.
If everyone reads this and heads the advice ill be happy.
I never want to read another post about one of our members in the same boat as me.
Today is all that matters.
Spread the word to everyone.
Safety is more important than any harvest.
Bill

 

[Gardinhackle]

@Rexer good call! I have one in my shop. They must be the right size to accommodate a room or they don't work but for your grow tents they would be perfect. The one you show releases a white powder which would probably ruin the plants but I suppose that wouldn't matter as long as it put out the fire. The one I have in my shop has a special suppressant that does not damage electronics and other things.

 

[Roy Growin]

It's good to learn from what can be improved, and your doing everyone a great service with this thread. But my friend, I say this only as a gentle reminder- don't go down the what if path. Who knows? If you had that big extinguisher, you might have put it out- you may also have stayed in the thick for longer and passed away from smoke inhalation.

That being said, yeah...those tiny things are good for a tiny controlled fire, not much more, and ill be upgrading ours to larger ones, (thank you ). The larger ones can also make the difference in getting a family out of a burning home safer.

Having followed Bill's woes, it occurred to me that there is a family living in the flat above me, and heaven forbid if anything did happen I could not live with myself
I've bought a Ferrari kit but saved money on the seat belts? How dumb is that?
6Kg CO2 will be here in 48hrs (cheaper than my lamp)

 

[Bill284]

@Rexer good call! I have one in my shop. They must be the right size to accommodate a room or they don't work but for your grow tents they would be perfect. The one you show releases a white powder which would probably ruin the plants but I suppose that wouldn't matter as long as it put out the fire. The one I have in my shop has a special suppressant that does not damage electronics and other things.

Great advice my friend.
Are they readily available?
Do you have a source you can share.
Bill

 

[Finnicki]

I ordered heavy electrical strips online I have two young plants in kitchen under a light. Close so I can keep an eye on them. The plug on this beast is plastic however. Has two buttons, a kill and a reset. Plug gets HOT. Even when off. Already replaced it with one that has a rubber plug. I can leave that plugged in. I need a fire extinguisher though. This old house would go up like a Roman candle. I unplugged it when we run errands. I replaced it a day ago. Be safe everyone.

 

[Bill284]

I ordered heavy electrical strips online I have two young plants in kitchen under a light. Close so I can keep an eye on them. The plug on this beast is plastic however. Has two buttons, a kill and a reset. Plug gets HOT. Even when off. Already replaced it with one that has a rubber plug. I can leave that plugged in. I need a fire extinguisher though. This old house would go up like a Roman candle. I unplugged it when we run errands. I replaced it a day ago. Be safe everyone.

I was on the other side of the grow room wall when it started.
If I wasn't right there the whole house would have been lost.
My bed is directly above that room.
It scares the hell out of me thinking I was safe.
Fire suppression devices are your best bet to buy some time to get everyone to safety.
And a big ass fire extinguisher.
Please stay safe my friend.
Bill.

 

[Bill284]

I ordered heavy electrical strips online I have two young plants in kitchen under a light. Close so I can keep an eye on them. The plug on this beast is plastic however. Has two buttons, a kill and a reset. Plug gets HOT. Even when off. Already replaced it with one that has a rubber plug. I can leave that plugged in. I need a fire extinguisher though. This old house would go up like a Roman candle. I unplugged it when we run errands. I replaced it a day ago. Be safe everyone.

Please be safe my friend @Finnicki
Tell everyone you talk to about fire safety.
We need to spred the word.
Save lives.
Bill

 

[Finnicki]

Here is the power strip I have replaced.

 

[copperrein]

If you go on the 'Zon (US), search "fire suppression ball"

Holy crap they still make these! The house has old glass ones in the basement.