One Item Every Tiny House Should Have

Picture it. You are preparing to relax and read for a bit in the quiet sanctuary of the tiny abode you toiled to build. Deciding on a quick snack, you decide to pop popcorn. Things are going well until an unexpected grease fire pops up and quickly begins to become a problem when the lid to the pan doesn't squash the flames. The stars are aligned for this fire to spread quickly if not acted upon more aggressively. You need to use a fire extinguisher because throwing water on grease will only spread the fire.

Maybe you are feeling froggy and have lit some candles for romance. Unfortunately while you are distracted the flame catches on a nearby item.

Or maybe you are getting ready for work when suddenly an electrical fire begins in a faulty electrical outlet. What do you do? You can't throw salt or water or put a lid over this situation. You will need a fire extinguisher.

Are you picking up what I am putting down? That's right. You need a fire extinguisher. It is not an option, it is a must. The problem with traditional fire extinguishers is most are designed to deal with a particular type of fire: Grease, Electrical, or one that finds its fuel from trash, paper, fabric. Fire extinguishers have historically been large and require maintenance such as being "charged" now and again. Unattractive, we typically store them under a counter or in a cupboard. Out of sight, out of mind. Heaven forbid you should have an emergency and not be able to access the extinguisher.

I found the perfect solution to this. I purchased several Tundra Fire Extinguishers by First Alert. The size of a can of hairspray, Tundra puts out electrical, grease, and trash/paper/fabric fires quickly. An all in one solution that fits easily into a Tiny House. I have one in each of my buildings. I keep one in the kitchen, one in the loft, and one close to my bed.

The Tundra Fire Extinguisher sprays 4x longer than the typical fire extinguisher. The product is biodegradable and cleans up easily with a damp rag. Best part? It requires no maintenance and has a shelf life of 4 years (each bottle is printed with a performance date indicating when to replace.) Just use the product and toss the can. Replace. Simple, right? The very best part is the price. Two cans of this magic run around $25!

Having a fire in a Tiny House is nightmare I don't wish on anyone. Being prepared is simple and could save not only your home, but your life.

Want your own Tundra Fire Extingusher(s) for your Tiny House? Follow this link.* 

*This is an affiliate link. Your purchase through Amazon will send me a few pennies to help here on Tiny House Homestead. However, I have not been paid or supported by First Alert for this post. Like I said, I have 4 cans of Tundra of my own.

Fair Weather Brings Fire Risk

The weather today was incredible. It was a beautiful, and record breaking, 76 degrees with 20 mph winds. Very low humidity made for a high fire risk. The morning news and radio stations all reminded people who smoke to put there cigarette out in their car ashtray ("Keep your butt in the car"), to double-check trailer chains didn't drag on the ground causing sparks, and a ban was enacted with regards to open fires such as burning burn piles, using charcoal barbecues, etc. 

At lunchtime I had to zip home to take my son to run an errand. Driving north out of Shawnee I could clearly see a large plume of smoke in the distance. Pretty soon it became clear there was a serious fire not too far away from Tiny House Homestead. The fire was squashed  quickly according to the evening news, however one homeowner was not so lucky and their house was burned to the ground. *shudder*

Years ago I almost lost my home to a forest fire caused by campers who didn't completely extinguish their campfire. I sat on my front stoop watching the flames gobble up acres of forest just a quarter mile from my home. It was surreal watching the flames shoot high up the old growth pine trees and hearing the sounds of them exploding from the extreme heat. Finally the police made all the residents leave and for three days I didn't know if I would even have a home to return to. It was terrifying. The site of smoke rising in the air anywhere near where I live immediately brings back the anxiety and fear I felt watching those flames consume everything in their path.

Tomorrow is supposed to be just as warm and just as windy. I plan to get outside and enjoy the weather. I have a para-foil kite calling my name and begging to catch air. I will no doubt enjoy the fantastic (and unusually warm) weather. I will still wonder what sparked the fire today and in the back of my mind I will worry that someone irresponsible with a simple cigarette or even stupid enough to try to take care of their burn pile will cause a catastrophe through carelessness.  

Wisely I have a fire evacuation plan in place (after not having one all those years ago) and know where all my papers and most precious things I would want to save are stored. However, if I am not home when this type of situation occurs, those things might be lost anyway. Wisely I keep copies of important papers in another, secure place, but that will be little consolation if everything I have worked so hard for was lost. Insurance is nice, but it doesn't replace the memories that would be gone. 

The point of this story? Be careful. When fire warnings are issued, take them seriously. 

Rant over. 

C'mon Baby, Light My Fire

It is a romantic image: Air cold enough to see your breath and a nice hot fire to keep you warm. However, anyone who has ever been really cold and trying to get a fire started knows how frustrating and scary it can be. Wind, rain, a lighter that is dying, or even worse, just a couple of matches left in the pack, can send the blood pressure rising and the anxiety into overload. Well, to help alleviate the worry of not being able to get kindling to light quickly and easily, I am going to share a DIY that you can assemble from things you typically throw away or recycle. Collect the materials over time, assemble and store. You can store lots of these in a small area. In the time of an emergency or even when you are just trying to get a fire going in the hearth, you can use one of these and save yourself all that stress.