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Fire Extinguishers: Here's
what every homeowner needs to know |
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The
Facts About Fire Extinguishers
How
effective are they? Which should you buy? By David Webster |
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Businesses and public buildings used to
be the only places you saw portable fire extinguishers. Today, you'll find at
least one extinguisher in 75 percent of American homes. Used at the right
time, on the right fire, and in the right way, an extinguisher can limit
flame and smoke damage, and can even save your home? Simply owning an
extinguisher can also lower your homeowner's insurance. Extinguishers do have their limitations, however. And unless you know what to look for, it's easy to choose the wrong one. Are larger extinguishers necessarily better than smaller ones? Where should you put them, and how should you use them? Here's what you need to know. Before You Fight the Inferno - Always call the fire department, even if you think
you've put out the fire. Fires have a sneaky way of rekindling. - Before you begin
fighting the fire, make sure everyone else has left or is leaving the building.
Develop and follow an evacuation plan. - Make sure the fire
is confined to a small area. If not, get out. - Keep your back to
an unobstructed exit. Assume a worst-case scenario you might not put out
the fire and you'll need that exit. Be sure you have one. - Dont fight a fire
in a smoke-filled room. Smoke can obstruct your view especially to an exit
and can fill your lungs with deadly gases. If the area is too smoky, get
out. - Be sure the
extinguisher matches the class and size of fire. An extinguisher that is not
rated for the type of fire you have is ineffective at best, and can lead to
disaster. What Are Their Limits? "A heat-activated residential sprinkler system
provides the best chance of survival," says Mark Conroy, senior fire
protection engineer with the Quincy, Massachusetts-based National Fire
Protection Association (NFPA), and an independent organization that
formulates standards for fire safety. The downside is cost: While the NFPA
estimates a sprinkler system adds about 2 percent to the cost of building a
new home about $3,000 to $6,000 for a 2,000-square-foot house
retrofitting an existing home with one costs even more. But Conroy and other experts agree that extinguishers
have their place if you know their limits. Most residential extinguishers
provide an effective range of just 6 to 10 feet, and last about 10 seconds
before their contents deplete. That's why they work best on small, contained
fires like the ones in wastebaskets and small appliances. The key is catching
the fire early while its temperature is relatively low. Once the fire becomes
entrenched, filling a room with heat, smoke, and deadly gases, the odds that
you'll put it out with an extinguisher quickly drop. These same limitations make extinguishers useless if a
fire spreads to other parts of a room. That's why calling the department
right away is so important. "We see situations like this a lot,"
notes David Nichols, fire marshal with the Chesterfield Fire District, west
of Delaying that call wastes valuable time. "Just
three to five minutes can make a huge difference in how far a fire
spreads," Nichols adds. Which Should I Buy? What kind of fires can it put out? A fire is a fire,
right? Wrong. Fires have different properties depending on what's burning.
Because all fires aren't alike, neither are extinguishers. The agent inside
must match the fire for the unit to work. Safety experts group fires into classes. The three major
ones for homeowners: Class A ordinary
combustibles, such as wood, cloth, or trash; Class B flammable
liquids, including cooking oil, gases such as propane, and some plastics. Class C fires that are
heated by electrical energy. Class C fires actually involve the same fuels as A and
B, except electrical current supplies the ignition source needed for burning.
Take away the current, and any remaining fire falls into one of the other two
classes. How can you tell which fires an extinguisher can
effectively and safely put out? - Be sure it has an
UL-listed label. Underwriters Laboratories tests and rates extinguishers
according to the classes and size of fire they can put out. - Look for the fire
class symbols. Every manufacturer use symbols that tell you at a glance which
classes of fire the extinguisher is rated for. They appear on the label as
either the class letter inside an icon A in a green triangle, B in a red
square and C in a blue circle or as small pictorials that show the type of
fire on which the extinguisher is effective. Which class should I pick? Most residential
extinguishers are What size do I need? There are several considerations here. The primary ones
are size and heft. A unit that's too bulky and heavy is useless. Choose a
unit that the smallest adult in your home can handle. But you also need to consider the size of fire the extinguisher
is rated to put out. UL determines the latter qualifier. After using an
extinguisher on fires of various sizes, an examiner translates the results
into a numerical code that accompanies the rated class. The numbers range
from 1 to 40 for a Class A rating, and 1 to 640 for Class B. Class C fires
get no numerical rating, because they're caused by an electrically energized
A or B fuel. The higher the number, the larger the fire the unit can handle.
Unfortunately, the more fire an extinguisher can put out, the bigger and
heavier it is. Residential fire extinguishers weigh from 2 to 10 lbs. Your best bet: Buy an extinguisher that's rated highly,
yet light enough for all adults in the house to handle. As a rule, Conroy
suggests extinguishers with a 2-A: 10-B:C rating.
That means it will put out a Class A fire that would otherwise require
2 1/2 gallons of water; that it should put out a 10-square-foot Class B
fire when used by a novice firefighter and one up to 25 square feet when used
by a pro; and that it works on electrical fires. Should I choose a disposable or rechargeable model? There's no easy answer; it depends on your habits and
values. Disposable models last about 12 years before they lose pressure and
must be discarded. They weigh and cost the least between 2 and 10 lbs., and
$10 and $20. Rechargeable models can be refilled and pressurized
after use and if they lose pressure. They're usually made of more durable
materials, with metal head and discharge parts instead of the plastic found
in most disposables. On the downside, rechargeable should receive a yearly
check by a certified technician for pressure and defects. While the typical
fee is $10 to $25, ongoing servicing rates vary so compare companies. And if
you buy a rechargeable extinguisher from a store without on-site service, be
sure it can be serviced locally. Rechargeable models cost more than
disposables up to $50 and typically weigh in at 9 to 10 lbs. for a 2-A:
10-B:C unit. Which should you buy? Compare short- and long-term
costs. And consider whether the durability of a rechargeable and the
reassurance of having it checked annually by a professional are worth its
added expense. Remember, too, that whichever fire extinguisher you decide on,
only adults should use it. Where Should I Put It? - Have at least one
extinguisher on each level. Buy enough so you don't have to walk more than 40
feet from any point to get to one. Measure around furniture and corners and
down hallways. And consider placing one in the kitchen, garage, workroom, or
any area with open-flame heating. - Never put an
extinguisher above a range or other item where a fire could originate. It's
useless if you can't get to it. - Locate your
extinguishers near exits. This prevents the fire from coming between you and
your escape route. - Put extinguishers
in plain view, never inside a cabinet or closet. - Mount your
extinguishers high enough, but still within reach of all adults in your
family. Most extinguishers come with a mounting bracket that attaches to the
wall. Be sure you and others know how to release the clamp holding the unit
in the bracket. HOW DO I USE IT? Start by reading the owner's manual. "When someone
says, 'I own an extinguisher,' I say, 'Tell me about it what kind of
extinguisher is it and how do you operate it?'" says the NFPA's Conroy.
"Never put yourself in a fire situation with an extinguisher you don't
know anything about." Conroy also suggests that homeowners get hands-on
experience. "I've found that people are genuinely surprised at both the
noise an extinguisher makes during operation and the amount of dust it
produces. Knowing what to expect will raise your confidence level." Where do you get that experience? Contact your local
fire department and ask if the department provides it. If it can't hold a
training session for one person, increase the group size by getting friends
and neighbors involved. Or, try religious institutions, civic groups, and
even your employer. If these options fail, Julie Reynolds, director of
public affairs for the NFPA, suggests this creative strategy: "If
there's a fire-protection company or distributor in your area, gather some
friends and approach the company with a deal: They provide training and
you'll buy five extinguishers from them." HOW DO I MAINTAIN IT? Also check for dents, punctures, and corrosion along the
cylinder body, as well as for chipping, cracking or crimping on the head and
nozzle even if you have a professional service plan. If you find damage or
signs of a leak, replace the unit. Like smoke detectors, portable fire extinguishers reduce
the risk of fire damage or injury, but they're not a cure-all. They must be
chosen, maintained, placed, and used the right way, on the right type of
fire. By following that approach, an extinguisher just might save you and
your family from a catastrophe. David
Webster is a freelance writer and 10-year veteran of the fire department in
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