What Fire Extinguisher is Ideal for my Home?
Friday, June 4th, 2010We all know how dangerous a fire can be. We all know that it can tear down an entire house, inflict serious injuries, and even cause death. This is why, most homeowners know how crucial it is to equip their homes with fire protection devices like fire extinguishers. However, if you are like most new homeowners who are not familiar with the different kinds of extinguishers, it may be baffling for you when it is time to buy one because there are just so many choices available. This may lead you to asking, “Which fire extinguisher is ideal for my home?” These pieces of practical information about the various types of extinguishers would help answer that question.
Water Fire Extinguisher
A water extinguisher is designed to put out Class A fires or those that involve paper, wood, clothing, furnishing, plastic, rubber, and other solid organic materials. While some homeowners choose this reliable extinguisher because it can curb many types of fire, others tend to stay away from it to avoid having a member of the family accidentally use it for electrical fires, as this can cause worsening of the fire and electrocution.
Foam Fire Extinguisher
The foam extinguisher is intended for Class A and B fires. Class B fires involve flammable liquids. This particular extinguisher is ideal for use at the garage where most flammable liquids like gasoline, petrol, paints, oils, and so on, are usually stored.
Powder Fire Extinguisher
The multi-purpose power of powder makes it the perfect choice for most homes. It can curb Class A, Class B, and also Class C fires (flammable gases). And although it is not designed for electrical fires, it is relatively safe and effective to use for fires involving electrical equipment. Install this extinguisher in the main area of the house like in the living area or the dining room.
CO2 Fire Extinguisher
The CO2 extinguisher, meanwhile, is the one specifically designed for fires that originated from electrical equipment whether it is caused by overloaded sockets, frayed cords, or malfunctioning of the appliance. This extinguisher is best installed in the area of the house where most electrical appliances are located like in the living room or the entertainment room.
Wet Chemical Fire Extinguisher
Finally, the wet chemical extinguisher is the one responsible for putting out fires that originate from grease, cooking oil, and deep fat fryers. Needless to say, it is the perfect extinguisher to put in the kitchen as it can easily curb kitchen fire before it grows out of control and spreads to other parts of the house.
Ultimately, it is just a matter of determining the kind of fire hazards present in your home. It is also best that you get a different type of extinguisher for a particular area of the house (wet chemical for the kitchen, powder for the living room, and foam for the garage, and so on). The important thing is that you know the purpose of each kind so you know which one to use for a particular type of fire.
