Fire extinguisher
A fire extinguisher is an active fire protection device used to extinguish or control small fires, often in emergency situations. It is not intended for use on an out-of-control fire, such as one which has reached the ceiling, endangers the user (i.e., no escape route, smoke, explosion hazard, etc.), or otherwise requires the expertise of a fire department. Typically, a fire extinguisher consists of a hand-held cylindrical pressure vessel containing an agent which can be discharged to extinguish a fire. Fire extinguishers manufactured with non-cylindrical pressure vessels also exist, but are less common.
A stored-pressure fire extinguisher made by Oval Brand Fire Products
In the United States, fire extinguishers in all buildings other than houses are generally required to be serviced and inspected by a fire protection service company at least annually. Some jurisdictions require more frequent service for fire extinguishers. The servicer places a tag on the extinguisher to indicate the type of service performed (annual inspection, recharge, new fire extinguisher).
A British fire extinguisher with ID sign, call point and fire action sign
There are two main types of fire extinguishers: stored-pressure and cartridge-operated. In stored pressure units, the expellant is stored in the same chamber as the firefighting agent itself. Depending on the agent used, different propellants are used. With dry chemical extinguishers, nitrogen is typically used; water and foam extinguishers typically use air. Stored pressure fire extinguishers are the most common type. Cartridge-operated extinguishers contain the expellant gas in a separate cartridge that is punctured prior to discharge, exposing the propellant to the extinguishing agent. This type is not as common, used primarily in areas such as industrial facilities, where they receive higher-than-average use. They have the advantage of simple and prompt recharge, allowing an operator to discharge the extinguisher, recharge it, and return to the fire in a reasonable amount of time. Unlike stored pressure types, these extinguishers use compressed carbon dioxide instead of nitrogen, although nitrogen cartridges are used on low temperature (-60 rated) models. Cartridge operated extinguishers are available in dry chemical and dry powder types in the U.S. and in water, wetting agent, foam, dry chemical (classes ABC and B.C.), and dry powder (class D) types in the rest of the world.
Fire extinguishers come in a wide variety of types — each one designed to put out a different kind of fire.
Classification systems have been developed to help users know what sort of extinguisher they’re working with. Because the majority of our readers are based stateside, I’ll be focusing on the system used to classify extinguishers.
Most fire extinguishers for homes and public spaces are classified as Class ABC extinguishers, meaning they’re suitable for putting
out wood and paper fires, flammable liquid fires, and electrical fires. ABC extinguishers use the dry chemical monoammonium phosphate as the extinguishing agent.
Where to Put a Fire Extinguisher in Your House
A Kitchen Fire Extinguisher Is A Must
You must have a fire extinguisher in your kitchen since it is the most likely room in your home for a fire to start.
Typically kitchen fires are grease fires, and they cannot be put out with water. In fact, trying to put them out with water is very dangerous. (I've written a whole article on how to put grease fires out here, which you should review if you don't know about this common fire type.)
While the most likely place you'll need to use a fire extinguisher in the kitchen is the stove/oven area, it is actually not good to store your fire extinguisher too close to the stove.
The reason is that if something catches fire on or near the stove it may force you to have to reach through the flames to grab the extinguisher -- not good.
fire extinguisher placement by kitchen
So instead, store your kitchen fire extinguisher somewhere a bit further away from the stove, but still within easy reach.
Many fire experts suggest that your extinguisher be mounted by the door of the kitchen.
The picture to the left is from a reader, Danielle. She's mounted her extinguisher on the wall next to her kitchen. She explained, "We live in the country, so we also have a large one in the garage, and another smaller one hanging around the shop."
It might be better to have been inside the kitchen so everyone could see it from the room, but then again, this placement makes it accessible easily for the rest of that floor as well. So it still works.
Other Places You Should Keep An Extinguisher
You should also keep an extinguisher on each floor of your home, just so one is close by without having to run up or down stairs.
This would include one in a basement if you have it, as well as upstairs if you have one of those.
In addition, many fire experts suggest keeping a fire extinguisher in the garage. That's because this is another prime location fires occur in homes, since this tends to be where people often store things like excess paint, other chemicals, and building materials.
Placement Of Equipment In Each Location
fire extinguisher placement by kitchen
When placing your fire extinguishers throughout your home keeping them mounted on the wall in plain sight can be a great idea.
In fact, this is exactly where many fire experts suggest you place them.
Obviously this is not "lovely," but you've got to weigh in your mind the importance of safety versus a perfectly decorated home.
When you have this equipment out in the open, not hidden behind cabinets or doors, or behind a curtain, everyone in the home, guests and family members alike, can easily find the extinguisher in an emergency.
We've already discussed how when there is a fire every second counts in getting it put out, so this can be important.
Further, when extinguishers are out in the open it is harder for them to get pushed back or buried behind clutter, as can happen over time in other locations.
The photo above, on the right, is from a reader, Teresa, who has hers mounted on the wall right beside her pantry in her kitchen. I personally don't find the placement intrusive or taking away from the decor.
If you do choose to place your extinguisher somewhere not clearly visible, you'll just need to make sure you are more vigilant to make sure everyone in your home knows where the extinguishers are located, and can easily grab them without moving other things to the side in an emergency.
Further, if you do mount them on the wall, do not put them higher than 5 feet from the floor, otherwise you may place them out of reach for some people which defeats the purpose.
How to Use a Fire Extinguisher
Tip 1: Use the right extinguisher for the right job.
Depending on the size of your home, it’s a good idea to have a few fire extinguishers around—in the kitchen, in the garage, and near all turkeys you may be deep frying. It also doesn’t hurt to have one in your car, boat, or RV.
When you buy a fire extinguisher, look for the following letters and symbols to determine which fire classes the extinguisher will put out.
Tip 2: Know where to find the fire extinguisher.
This might seem pretty straightforward, but it is important that everyone in your home (including house sitters, pet sitters, and baby sitters) knows where to find the fire extinguisher. It’s also important to have a clear, unobstructed path to the extinguisher.
Tip 3: Make sure your fire extinguisher is up to date.
Perform a physical check of your fire extinguisher every year, maybe around the same time you replace the batteries in your smoke detectors. Make sure that the external condition is good—no damage or cracks on the base, hose, or nozzle. Lift it up to make sure it is heavy. This means it still contains extinguishing agent. Look at the pressure gauge to make sure it is still pressurized in an operable range (operable = green). Finally, the safety pin should be tied or otherwise attached to the extinguisher so that it can’t come loose when it’s not supposed to.
Tip 4: Know how to use it.
Turns out, all extinguishers have instructions printed on them. But all you have to remember is this easy acronym: P.A.S.S.
P: PULL the safety PIN from the handle
A: AIM at the base of the fire
S: SQUEEZE the trigger
S: SWEEP from side to side
Tip 5: Know when to say when.
If the fire continues to grow, your escape route could be threatened, the extinguisher runs out, the extinguisher is not effectively stopping the fire, or you are no longer able to fight the fire safely, LEAVE IMMEDIATELY
