Home fires can destroy treasured items—and worse, they can lead to the loss of life. Having fire extinguishers around your home is a great preventative measure. However, if you don’t know how to use them, they can do more harm than good. Let’s take a look at the different types of fire extinguishers, how to use them, and when to use them.

Types of Fires

The most common types of fires are classes A, B, C and K.

Class A – Basic combustibles, including paper, plastics, tires, etc.
Class B – Gasoline and petroleum
Class C – Electronics, appliances, etc.
Class K – Cooking oils and grease

Each type of fire contains its own challenges. Choosing the proper extinguisher can not only help keep the fire from spreading, but could also save your life.

2 Basic Classes of Extinguishers

Water extinguisher – Also known as APW (Air Pressurized Water), these extinguishers should be used only for class A fires. Do not use on electrical or grease fires—the water will cause these types of fires to spread.

Dry chemical extinguisher – Chemical fire extinguishers expel a powder or foam, typically propelled by compressed nitrogen. These extinguishers are often classified as either ABC extinguishers due to their recommended use on A, B and C class fires, or BC extinguishers.

It’s recommended that you have multiple extinguishers in your home. If they’re located in areas of likely hazards (a kitchen, for example), and also equidistance around the home so that an extinguisher is always nearby, you’ll be in the best shape to react to a fire. As an example, you can have one extinguisher in the kitchen, one upstairs and one in the garage.

How to Use an Extinguisher

If a fire breaks out in your home and you need to use an extinguisher, remember the acronym PASS.

P – Pull the pin.
A – Aim at the base of the fire
S – Squeeze the lever above the handle
S – Sweep from side to side

In some instances, the fire may spread faster than you can put it out. If the fire becomes unmanageable, immediately get everyone out of the house and call 911.

Where to Purchase a Fire Extinguisher

Fire extinguishers can be purchased at hardware stores, including Lowes and The Home Depot. If you are uncertain of the extinguisher’s rating, be sure to ask an employee for help. Buying an extinguisher without knowing what you’re getting can be a real danger to you, your home and your loved ones.

As with many home hazards, preparation is key. In addition to owning the proper fire extinguishers, having a detection system in place can help prevent the loss of property and life. SEi offers smoke detection systems that link directly to our 24-hour monitoring center—whether you’re at home or on vacation, you can rest easily knowing SEi’s staff can immediately contact your local fire department if the alarm is triggered.

Call SEi today at 800-334-3272 to learn more about our fire monitoring service, as well as the many other options we offer to help keep your home safe.
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