Fire Extinguishers Best For You

2/13/2024 (Permalink)

Small incidental fires can begin at home for several reasons; a cigarette, a grease fire on the stovetop, a lit candle, or space heater left unattended. A small home fire can often be put out with a fire extinguisher, rather than calling the fire department. That, of course, depends on the size of the fire and the type of extinguisher you have. Ensuring you have the proper one for your property is necessary to ensure handling of a fire.

Get the Right Extinguisher

Part of fire preparedness is knowing which kind of fire extinguisher is best for certain fires. Understanding the difference is of great importance, as some can do more harm than good. The following list explains the difference.

Type A – Suitable for everyday combustibles such as paper, fabric, and wood

Type B – Works best for fuels like gasoline, butane, and cooking oils

Type C – A most appropriate choice for electrical fires

Additional Information

Not only do extinguishers have different types, but they have other variations besides. Type A and B have a number before the letter to designate their effectiveness. A 4-A works better on a paper fire than a 2-A. If the unit has a C but no number ahead of it, it means it will not conduct electricity. This is important to note for different environments and places within a property. 

Which Extinguisher is Best?

The kind you decide to keep in your home depends on where you intend to keep it. You may decide you need more than one at hand for the greatest safety. For instance, you would do well to keep a type B in the kitchen where you are most likely to experience a grease fire. You might want to keep a type C near the breaker box and a type A near a bedroom, library, or craft room.

In the event, a larger blaze breaks out and you require more than a fire extinguisher, call 911 immediately. Then get help to assess the fire damage and manage fire cleanup, call the fire and water restoration service in Raytown, MO for help. They can handle the fire damage cleanup and help get things back to normal. Preparation can help you avoid a disaster, however, so keep a couple of extinguishers at hands and ensure you have the proper one(s) for your property!