Tips for Using a Home Fire Extinguisher

5/20/2022 (Permalink)

How to Use a Fire Extinguisher at Home

Every home should have at least one fire extinguisher. This tool can help you put out a kitchen fire before it spreads. Here are some tips for utilizing extinguishers correctly.

1. Make an Evacuation Plan
Before you get too close to the fire, determine exactly how you will escape the room if the blaze becomes too big for you to handle. Make sure that no heat, smoke, or fire comes between you and your chosen evacuation path.

2. Pick the Right Extinguisher
Different fires require different types of extinguishers. Water or class A extinguishers are designed for ordinary combustibles such as plastic, cloth, paper, rubber, and wood. Class B extinguishers utilize carbon dioxide and work best on flammable liquids, including grease, gasoline, and oil. Electrical fires require Class C extinguishers, which utilize dry chemicals.

Of course, when you spot flames in your home, you do not always have time to figure out the correct fire extinguisher to use. Ideally, you should keep a multipurpose extinguisher in your house, as it works on fires caused by combustibles, flammable liquids or electrical equipment.

3. Use the P.A.S.S. Technique
The acronym P.A.S.S. can help you remember how to use an extinguisher. You just Pull the pin, Aim at the base of the fire, Squeeze the handle and Sweep the extinguisher from side to side.

4. Know When To Evacuate
Most importantly, do not be a hero when trying to put out the fire. If the flames take up more than 60 square feet, if you feel radiating heat on your exposed skin, or if you have trouble breathing due to excess smoke, evacuate the house immediately. Contact firefighters to extinguish the blaze and fire damage cleanup specialists to restore your Lockport/Lemont/Homer Glen, IL, home.

You can try to suppress a blaze using a fire extinguisher. Make sure you pick an extinguisher designed for the type of fire in your home. If the flames get out of control, evacuate immediately and let the professionals handle the situation.