Do I Need a Fire Extinguisher?

October 14, 2018

Having a fire extinguisher in your home is important to keeping your home safe. Not all fire extinguishers are created equal however and situations and location can vary on the need and type of extinguisher. Extinguishers are separated into Class Categories to help with placement and type of chemical to suppress fires.

Class  A: Class A extinguishers are used for regular combustible materials, such as wood, paper, cloth, rubber, plastics.

Class B: Class B is for liquids like gasoline, alcohol, and oil based products. These extinguishers are best used for combustible liquids.

Class C: Class C are designed for electrical fires such as electrical equipment.

Class D: Class D are used for combustible metals like titanium, sodium or magnesium.

Class K: Class K are designed for oils like vegetable oils, animal oils, or fats used in cooking. Class K is typically found in kitchens and restaurants.

Some extinguishers can be multi class, which allows them to be used for more than one type of fire. The extinguishers will be labeled with multiple letters to designate the types that can be properly used.

Having a extinguisher can help with small fire to prevent them from spreading. However if the fire is to be to control leave the home and call 911 immediately. A home or appliance is replaceable, a life is not.