Are you the type of person who gets easily flustered and would use the first fire extinguisher you can grab without checking if you got the right kind of extinguisher? If you got hold of a foam fire extinguisher or worse a water fire extinguisher to put out fire due to faulty wiring, chances are you would have placed yourself in a lot more danger than you could have imagined. One thing to always keep in mind is that when it comes to fire extinguishers, the saying one size fits all does not apply as you cannot just use any kind of extinguisher for all types of fire.
A good safety reminder is to always be prepared and having the right fire fighting equipment available is very important. Several kinds of fire extinguishers are usually recommended for use on household fires. A water fire extinguisher is best suitable to put out Class A fires which originates from combustible materials like paper, wood, and clothing but is inappropriate for use on Class B fires which are due to flammable liquids like gasoline, kerosene, oil, and paint as it would only make it more uncontrollable. You can opt to have a foam fire extinguisher which is good for both Class A and B fires but is not advisable for use on electrical fires. While a dry chemical extinguisher is perfectly appropriate for flammable and combustible liquids and even with electric fires but does not cover all of Class A fire origins.
With the different kinds of extinguishing agents suitable for different classes of fires, it is then best to get a combination of fire extinguishers at home to cover any eventuality. It would then be just perfect to get both a wet chemical fire extinguisher and a CO2 fire extinguisher to cover combustible solids and liquids as well as live electrical fires. You can also have a combination of a CO2 extinguisher and a foam fire extinguisher and you would not have problems dealing with small household fires originating from flammable or combustible organic solids as well as liquids and at the same time you can put out fires on electrical appliances.
If you prefer not to have any chemical extinguishing agents in your home for fear that your children may get hold of them and inadvertently use them, the best safety device you can get is a water fire extinguisher for Class A fires and a fire blanket for kitchen fires. The only thing is you do not have the proper tool for extinguishing live electrical fires which is also a common household cause of alarm. The best way solution for this is prevention and that you can do by having your electrical wirings, outlets, and connections regular checked and hope for the best.
One must remember that you may have a wet chemical fire extinguisher or all of the different extinguishing agents there is at home but if you do not know how to properly operate a fire extinguisher then it is useless. More importantly, when it comes to the safety of your family, fire prevention is still the best course to take but it does help to be prepared and well-informed on fire safety measures.
Bennett Glover is a professional fire safety expert and consultant for commercial businesses to help promote fire safety and awareness in the UK area. He regularly writes articles to inform the general public about the safest ways of handling fires and how to prevent them in the first place. His knowledge and expertise has earned him many writing and speaking engagements. He enjoys teaching fire safety to students, business owners, and learning institutions to help save lives. For more tips and information about Foam fire extinguisher, please visit wet chemical fire extinguisher.