Did you know, it is the law in some states for residents to have fire extinguishers in their home? While most building occupancies require a portable extinguisher on site, having a fire extinguisher for your home is an excellent safety solution. You can put out most common household fires with the right type or class of fire extinguisher available.
Where to Begin?
First, you want to determine what areas in your home would benefit the most from having a fire extinguisher handy. There are two essential places where this might be, and that is where fires are likely to occur easily, such as a garage and the kitchen. If your home has over one level to it, a good safety idea is to keep one on each floor.
The Four Classes of Fire Extinguishers
Depending on the particular type of fire you need to put out, there is a class of extinguisher designed to suit each different case.
- Class A: regular combustibles, including paper and wood
- Class B: flammable liquids, such as oil, gasoline, and grease
- Class C: fires energized by electricity
- Class D: any ignitable metals
Although the classes designate for which kinds of burning materials or fire causes a specific extinguisher gets used, there are extinguishers available that are multipurpose.
How to Use a Fire Extinguisher for Your Home
The technique P.A.S.S. is a conventional method for use with most kinds of extinguishers:
P – Pull at the unit’s pin to break the seal.
A – Aim the extinguisher nozzle at the fire’s base.
S – Squeeze the handgrip, so the contained extinguishing solution comes out.
S – Sweep from left to right with the nozzle until the inferno is extinguished.
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