I would get an all purpose "ABC" extinguisher. It sounds dumb, but there really is a difference between them. The "A" stands for a fire with solids (wood, cloth, etc.), which is what you'd probably need it for. The chemical has a chemical reaction on the burning item, and encapsulates the item, shutting off oxygen. Since "B" (electrical) and "C" (liquid) extinguishers displaces the air/oxygen, the fire can reignite easier than with an "ABC" extinguisher. Truth be told, I've seen it happen with really hot fires (car fires, etc.) with all purpose extinguishers too. The ides is to catch it in the very early stage. I usually recommend an ABC and a water extinguisher. The water will work better if there's no electrical components (blower, etc.) involved. There are several fire fighters on the web site. See what they have to say. Just my 2 cents. Curt
Err . . . ummm . . . yes . . . no . . . not quite . . . kinda close.
Curt is correct. For most home owners a general purpose ABC dry chemical fire extinguisher is what you want . . . especially if you are getting one for the express purpose of having one because you have a woodstove.
However, it's time for Firefighterjake to teach today's fire safety lesson.
The letters ABC (and D and K for that matter) stand for the type of fuel that is on fire.
A = ordinary combustibles which would include fuels such as wood, paper, cloth, etc.
B = flammable liquids and gases such as gasoline, grease, propane, etc.
C = energized electrical devices
These are the most common types of fires in a residential setting.
Now for your edification and knowledge (you never know if you might end up on Jeopardy some day).
D = combustible metal fires, typically seen in industrial settings involving shavings, metal dust, etc. with metals like sodium, lithium, potassium, unobtainium (OK, I made up that last one)
K = Hey . . . what happened to letters E, F, G, H, I and J? It's because many of us firefighters are dumb. It's true. If we were smarter we wouldn't be firefighters -- we would be cops. Well, OK, Maybe it's because K-type fires or fuels involve commercial Kitchen (see . . . see K is for Kitchen!) fires . . . think big ol' fryolators full of cooking oil. It could also be due to the fact that almost all of the K-rated fire extinguishers I have seen use a potassium chemical solution . . . and remember . . . potassium = K on the periodic table of elements.
OK, now that you've learned all about D and K fires . . . forget everything you've just read. You never need to know this. D-rated fire extinguishers are not rare, but they're uncommon and most home owners will never see or need one. K rated extinguishers are more common -- every Mickey D's out there no doubt has one along with your favorite Ma and Pa restaurant if they have a fryolator. And even though you have resisted buying the latest and greatest Air Fryer Matic 1000 and have held on to your Rival 2 quart fryolator for those deep fried onion rings you love so much . . . never fear . . . in this case you still do not need to have a K rated extinguisher as the volume of oil is not enough to rise to the occasion of needing a specialized extinguisher.
So getting back to our lesson . . . how do they work? Well different extinguishers work differently.
Behold . . . the Fire Triangle . . . something the rookie firefighter learns about on Day 1 of Training.
Fire is made up of Heat, Fuel and Oxygen.
But wait, there's more. The Fire Tetrahedron.
You see having heat, fuel and oxygen alone is not enough . . . we need a chemical reaction to keep the whole process moving. Now here's the thing . . . take away any one of those four parts -- heat, fuel, oxygen or the chemical reaction and the fire goes out.
Our most popular extinguisher -- the ABC dry chemical extinguisher -- good for most fires and the one I recommend to home owners -- mostly works by disrupting the chemical process. Other extinguishers such as the CO2 extinguisher work by displacing the oxygen or in the case of the pressurized water extinguisher they lower the temperature of the fire . . . in all cases . . .the fire goes out.
Truthfully, if you have a burning toaster, pot on fire or that spawn of satan child of your neighbor has set your dry lawn on fire . . . it doesn't really matter how the fire extinguisher works . . . only that it does.
Remember . . .
PASS.
P = Pull the pin.
A = Aim at the base of the fire
S = Swear at the fire . . . and yes I jest . . . Squeeze the handle
S = Square dance around the fire to celebrate your victory against the raging inferno . . . or better yet, make a Sweeping arc with the extinguisher so that the spray of dry powder coats the fire
Other passing thoughts of an idle mind . . .
-- Always call the FD and get us on the way if you have a fire. It is better to call us and then call us back a minute later to say that you were able to put out the fire. We like these calls. We get all excited and then find out you were able to do our job for us. Since we're all pumped up we may send someone to your house anyways to make sure the fire is out and hasn't spread . . . and to give you your official red, plastic Fire Chief hat which you can wear proudly to work the next day. It is never a good idea to think that you will wait to see if the fire gets bigger or if you can put out the fire first before calling since it means the fire gets that much more of a headstart.
-- The fire should always be smaller than you. Fire extinguishers are not a fire truck in a can.
-- Make sure you have the right kind. The good news is -- as mentioned -- most of the ones out there are ABC dry chemical extinguishers. Most modern extinguishers -- made in the last 25 years or so -- have pictographs showing you what they can extinguish. If you see a picture of a type of fire and it has a slash through it like No Smoking, No Parking or No Bad Hair Days then you should not use that extinguisher on that type of fire as it could potentially injure you or make things much worse.
-- Don't breathe the smoke. Folks always forget this fact . . . the smoke can be just as deadly as the flames. Yeah, we all know and have been told since we were kids that fire is hot and you shouldn't get too close, but we forget that the smoke that we suck in while sitting around a campfire is a wholly different critter than the smoke in a home when plastics, household chemicals, carpeting, paints, adhesives, etc. are burning. Some of this is bad . . . really bad. It's why we always put on the air packs . . . plus it makes us sound like Darth Vader which we think is cool.
And final thoughts from tired of typing fingers . . .
BC dry chemical extinguishers are fine . . . but they're really best for small grease fires in the home, not something like a woodstove related fire. Using one on a fire will not cause injury or make the fire worse, but it's not as effective as an ABC rated extinguisher.
Check your gauges. If you have an extinguisher and the needle on the gauge is in the green you're usually doing well. Most home extinguishers can last as long as 10-15 years with no issues. If you think of it though, tip them upside down and smack the side with your palm . . . just like that box of Arm and Hammer Baking Soda which cakes up and hardens . . . so does the powder in the extinguisher. And no, the powder in the ABC dry chemical extinguisher is not baking soda, so do not attempt to use it while making cookies next week (although most of the time baking soda is found in the BC rated dry chemical extingusher).
And one final thought . . .
I've been burning wood for 12 years.
I've lived in my house for 25 years.
I've never needed a fire extinguisher.
Practice good fire prevention and safety . . . and then you never need to make that decision as to whether you should use the extinguisher or not . . . and if there is any question at all and you're waffling as to what to do . . . get out. Houses can be rebuilt . . . people, not so much.
