You know your home needs at least one fire extinguisher, but did you know there are different kinds? I didn’t until two nights ago, but it’s not the kind of thing you want to learn in the moment when you actually need one. Different fire extinguishers actually have different purposes and are designed to fight specific types of fires, so it’s important to prepare accordingly.
Fire extinguisher label codes
Generally, you’re going to find fire extinguishers in one of five classifications: A, B, C, D, or K. Each of these puts out a certain kind of fire. Here’s the breakdown:
Class A puts out ordinary combustible fires, like those on paper, cloth wood, plastic, etc.
Class B puts out flammable liquid fires, like oil, paint, petroleum, gas, etc.
Class C is for electrical fires
Class D puts out combustible metal fires (think titanium, aluminum, sodium, magnesium, etc.)
Class K puts out cooking fires from flammable grease or oil
Class K is easy to remember, as it’s like K for “kitchen,” but the rest you’ll just have to commit to memory. There are ABC fire extinguishers that are designed to put out regular combustible, flammable liquid, and electrical fires, and that would be a great one to have in your home.
Fire extinguisher tips
If the fire you’re dealing with involves flammable gas, don’t try to extinguish it with your Class B unless you know you can shut off the gas. If the only fuel burning is the leaking gas, your best option is just to shut off the fuel supply. If you extinguish a flammable gas fire without shutting off the fuel source, unburned gas can escape and an explosion can happen if it’s exposed to an ignition source.
If you have a lot of combustible metals around—the kind you need Class D for—contact your fire department or another expert about exactly what kind of extinguisher you need and how much you need. Some extinguishing agents can react with a combustible metal fire, making it worse, so you want to make sure your fire is covered with a dry powder. Sand works, but within a Class D extinguisher is a blend of powdered graphite, granular sodium chloride, and some copper, which work well.
Fire extinguishers for you
Which fire extinguishers you get depends on what kind of flammable materials you deal with at home, but here are good options for any:
A First Alert HOME1 ABC rechargeable fire extinguisher ($24.99) tackles fires of A, B, and C origins, plus you can recharge it (which you should do annually)
A Kidde kitchen fire extinguisher ($25.94) designed to put out fires without damaging your stove
Grab a six-pack of Kidde ABC extinguishers for every room of your house ($140, also comes in two- and four-packs)
A BC fire extinguisher for your car or boat, like the First Alert Car and Marine Fire Extinguisher ($24.28)
Check the labels on your packaging, but expect to replace all your fire extinguishers once every 10 years. Some sources say 12 years is fine, but it’s better to be safe than sorry on this one.
