Along with smoke detectors, fire extinguishers are the most helpful devices for home fire safety. With the right fire extinguisher by your side, you can easily put out a flame before it roars out of control and spreads to multiple rooms in a house. Even if there’s a massive fire that you can’t put out completely, a fire extinguisher can help contain it while your family escapes and you wait for the fire department to arrive.
Continue reading to learn a little bit more about the importance of fire extinguishers and how you can help mitigate the chance of injuries or property loss due to a fire.
Buy the right fire extinguisher
It’s important to note that fire extinguishers aren’t created equal. Extinguishers used to put out electrical fires won’t do much good to combat a fire started by hot grease on a stove. We recommend investing in an ABC fire extinguisher. ABC-rated extinguishers work for combustible materials, flammable liquids and fires involving electrical equipment.
As far as size goes, you probably don’t need the largest one on the market. Buy a smaller unit that can be easily carried and used by every member of your household.
Where should my fire extinguisher go?
As a general rule, you should have at least one fire extinguisher on every level of your home. After all, you don’t have time to run all over the house looking for one if there’s a sudden fire outbreak somewhere in your home.
But you can’t just stash your extinguishers in closets throughout the house. Instead, be sure to keep one in the kitchen and one in every bedroom. Many house fires start in the kitchen, and the deadliest ones happen at night when everyone’s asleep. This is why having fire extinguishers in those locations can be a lifesaver.
What else can I do to prevent a fire?
Home fire safety doesn’t end with buying a few fire extinguishers. Here are a few things you can do to prevent a fire:
- Maintain cords and appliances: Frayed wires and older appliances are leading causes of electrical fires. As part of your home fire prevention plan, be sure to replace outdated appliances and check to ensure the cords aren’t damaged before using them.
- Clean the kitchen: The cause of a kitchen fire might not be a mistake while cooking. Instead, it could be due to food particles caught under a burner or old grease splatter on the stove. Make a habit of cleaning your kitchen after each meal to significantly reduce the chance of a fire.
- Install and test smoke alarms: We mentioned smoke alarms earlier because they’re critical when it comes to fire safety. Although they can’t put out a flame, they’ll alert you when a fire starts, allowing you to get out as soon as possible. Be sure to test your alarms monthly to ensure they’re working.
Are you prepared for a fire?
Contact our team at Carpet Capital Fire Protection Inc. if you need to buy new fire extinguishers or have your current ones tested. We’re the experts in home fire prevention, so you can count on us to keep you and your family safe.