Which fire extinguisher should I get?
One of the best ways to protect your home from fire is to simply have a fire extinguisher on hand. This fact raises a few questions:
- What are the common fire extinguisher types available?
- How do I know which one to get for my home?
Lets go ahead and tackle one of these questions one at a time.
What are the common fire extinguisher types available for me to invest in?
First of all, not all fire extinguishers are the same. In fact, each fire extinguisher is designed to tackle a specific type of fire. Why is it so important to understand this? Simply put, having the wrong extinguisher on hand will be of no assistance to you.
There are four classes of fire extinguishers: A, B, C and D. Each class of fire extinguisher can put out a different type of fire.
Class A Fire Extinguishers: these will put out fires in ordinary combustibles such as wood and paper.
Class B Fire Extinguishers: these are for use on flammable liquids like grease, gasoline and oil.
Class C Fire Extinguishers: These are suitable for use only on electrically energized fires.
Class D Fire Extinguishers: These are designed for use on flammable metals.
Multipurpose Fire Extinguishers: These can be used on different types of fires and will be labeled with more than one class, like A-B, B-C or A-B-C.
So, which fire extinguisher is the right one for me?
You first need to ask yourself, where will I be using the fire extinguisher?
Are you concerned about a grease fire in your kitchen? Then a Class B fire extinguisher that is used on flammable liquids, such as grease, is the right one for you.
Do you have a wood stove, a fire place or a fire pit? Then a Class A fire extinguisher that is used to put out fires from wood and paper is the right one for you.
However, the safest thing to do is to get a combination multipurpose extinguishers that covers type A, B and C. This way, 3 out of 4 of these classes are covered.
Tips to help you use your extinguisher:
- Make sure you have the right class of fire extinguisher for what you need.
- These are relatively inexpensive so get an extinguisher for each level of your house. (Including the basement and your garage)
- Get an extinguisher you can lift easily by yourself.
- Make sure you keep it in an area that is easy to get it out in case of an emergency.
- Train each member of the family on how to use it.
- Make sure your smoke detectors have fresh batteries so they will work properly in an emergency. Change them annually and test them monthly.
Since fires can cause tremendous damage to your home and severely injure or kill a loved one, it make sense to invest in a portable fire extinguisher for your home. Your friendly InsuranceHub agents are standing by to help you save money on your home fire insurance. Feel free to contact us with any of your questions.
Use the suggestions here today and save heartache and pain tomorrow. Once you’ve made your purchases, familiarize yourself with the fire extinguisher directions so you’ll be prepared in case you need to put out a fire.
Source: http://www.nationwide.com/fire-extinguisher-safety.jsp