Choosing and Using a Home Fire Extinguisher

7/6/2021 (Permalink)

How Do I Choose A Fire Extinguisher For My Home?

To keep your home safe from fires, make sure you have a fire extinguisher on hand. While any number of things can cause a home fire in Chicago, IL, from faulty wiring to smoking in bed, many of the most common causes are concentrated in the kitchen. Electrical appliances, cooking grease and pots and pans forgotten on the stove can all result in a kitchen fire that causes extensive fire damage. Follow the guidelines below to select and operate this vital piece of fire safety equipment.

Choosing an Extinguisher

From aerosol spray cans to fire blankets, there are a lot of options on the market for home fire safety. However, opting for a fire extinguisher usually gives you the most versatility and protection when it comes to stopping blazes.

Different extinguishers are made to fight different kinds of fires and every extinguisher has a label telling you what types of fires it puts out. Fires are classified as A, B, C, D and K.

• A – Solid materials like wood, paper, plastic or fabric
• B – Flammable liquid or gas like kerosene, paint, or natural gas
• C – Electrical fires
• D – Combustible metals like magnesium or aluminum (almost never an issue in the home)
• K – Liquids used in food preparation like grease and cooking oils

Choosing an extinguisher that covers, A, B, C and K fires is an option, though it will likely be less effective for some types than others. Another option is to keep both a K and an ABC extinguisher in your kitchen.

Using an Extinguisher

Local fire departments in and around Chicago, IL, may offer home fire safety training where you can get hands-on training on how to use a fire extinguisher. If not, remember the acronym PASS.

• P – Pull the pin out of the top of the extinguisher
• A – Aim the nozzle at the base of the fire where the fuel for it is located
• S – Squeeze the handle to begin spraying the water, powder or foam inside the extinguisher
• S – Sweep the spray from side to side to cover the whole base of the fire