A fire extinguisher is an essential safety item that must be installed in every vehicle and house. If a portable fire extinguisher is used properly, it can help avert fire disasters. Choosing a fire extinguisher for your house is a simple task once you know about the variety of fires, the types of extinguishers, and the fire extinguisher price.
- Determining where fire extinguishers are used in your house
The first step before buying a fire extinguisher for your house is to determine where it will be used, such as in a kitchen, garage, brush piles, fireworks, or in a general area around your house. Only when you determine the area of installing the fire extinguisher can you buy the right one for yourself.
- Choosing a type of fire extinguisher based on classes of fire
Depending on the classification of fire, there are different classifications of fire that you may encounter in your house. Therefore, you should choose the correct type of extinguisher depending on fire classification, such as:
Class A - this classification includes ordinary combustibles like wood and paper.
Class B - includes flammable fumes and liquids like molten plastics and gasoline.
Class C - this classification includes electrical fires which can occur due to energized electrical materials.
Class D - this classification includes combustible metals like liquid lithium batteries and magnesium wheels.
Class K - this classification includes greases and deep oils that are ordinarily found in kitchen fire.
- Choosing extinguishers that are approved based on the classification of fires
Every type of extinguisher work to cool fire. While fire extinguishers can be used for multi-purposes, others can be dangerous if used on multiple fire classes. Therefore, national standards have decided on the labeling used in extinguishers that can be used to cool specific classes of fire. For instance, an A-type extinguisher is a water type that should be used only on fires arising due to Class A and should not be used on class B, C, D, and K fires.
- Long-term replacement and maintenance plan
You need to check the maintenance of your extinguisher periodically. In other words, you must check the proper condition and replacement plans for the extinguisher at least once a year. For example, some extinguishers are refillable by customers like air pressurized water types, while some are designed to be replaced by professionals, especially when pressures and chemicals are concerned. Other extinguishers are meant to be disposable after losing their pressure due to leakage.
- Choose an appropriate size for your extinguisher
You need to choose the right size extinguisher. Consider the location where the extinguisher will be stored, the person who will handle them, and the potential fire size in that particular location. For instance, if you want an extinguisher for your garage where flammable substances are present in large volumes, then you should go for a larger size extinguisher. On the other hand, if you want an extinguisher for your kitchen involving a small size kitchen fire, you can go for a small fire extinguisher.
- Know the risk of buying a wrong type of fire extinguisher
You can't use a fire extinguisher for any class or size of the fire. If you accidentally grab the wrong type of extinguisher during an emergency, it will bring you more trouble. This is because few types of fire extinguishers are hazardous to health if abused or misused. For instance, a Co2 extinguisher helps to put out gas at over a hundred degrees below 0. If a CO2 extinguisher is placed in the wrong hands, it may cause serious injuries and consequences. In addition, a multipurpose fire extinguisher such as ABC must not be kept close to oxidizers like pool chemicals. Remember that only Class A water exchangers can be used near pool chemicals. Similarly, class K extinguishers could be used for deep fryer fires only.