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Fire & Water - Cleanup & Restoration

How To Pick and Use the Right Fire Extinguisher

2/2/2021 (Permalink)

Fire extinguisher on a gray wall in Nashville, TN Putting the right fire extinguisher on each floor of your home can keep your house safe

A fire extinguisher is an important feature of any home. Yet not everyone knows what type of extinguishers they should buy. There are three main types of extinguishers, each of which has a different function:

A
B
C

Picking the Right Extinguisher

Extinguishers labeled A are designed for ordinary combustible fires. Meanwhile, B extinguishers are meant for flammable liquid fires, and C extinguishers are for use on electrical fires. You should look for an extinguisher labeled A:B:C, which means it can fight all three types of fires.
Extinguishers also have numbers next to the A and B designations. The higher these numbers, the more effective the extinguishers are.
Stove-top extinguishers can go on the hood of your range. Two-pound extinguishers are ideal for the car, and five-pound ones work best in the laundry room or kitchen. A 10-pound fire extinguisher is designed for areas such as a workshop or garage where a fire may not be noticed right away.
Make sure that all of your extinguishers are placed in easily accessible locations. They should also be close to the exit of the room so you can leave quickly if the home fire gets too intense.

Using and Maintaining Your Extinguisher
Of course, having an extinguisher is pointless if you don’t know how to use it. There is a simple acronym you can remember:

  • Pull the safety pin
  • Aim toward the flame
  • Squeeze and hold the trigger
  • Sweep near the flames

After you use your extinguisher, you should refill or replace it immediately so it is ready for any future emergencies. Keep in mind that an extinguisher can also lose pressure on its own over time. You should thus check the pressure gauges regularly.
Putting the right fire extinguisher on each floor of your home can keep your house safe. However, extinguishers alone aren’t enough. You should also create a fire preparedness plan and go over the various escape routes in your home. You may also want to have the contact information for a fire restoration company in Nashville, TN, readily available.

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