Fire Extinguishers

Fire Extinguisher - secures your home when the accident occurs

Fire extinguishers are essential and in many places also mandatory to have, to enhance protection against unforeseen fires.

With a fire extinguisher at home or at the workplace, you are better protected against potential fires and have a greater chance of minimizing the damage that can occur if a fire breaks out.

It can be easily taken out and used immediately, allowing you to tackle a small fire before it spreads.

Four things you should consider when buying a fire extinguisher

If you need a new fire extinguisher, there are several important considerations you should make to ensure you get the right fire extinguisher for your home or business.

Therefore, we provide some examples of considerations you should make, so you can make the best possible assessment.

#1 - Type of fire extinguisher

There are several different types of fire extinguishers, and it is important to know the differences so you know which type you need.

The powder extinguisher is one of the most common types of fire extinguishers, and this is because it can be used on most types of fires that may occur, plus it is easy and safe to use for an inexperienced person.

It has a fairly long reach, so you don't need to be as close to the fire to put it out with a powder extinguisher.

The powder extinguisher is also very precise, and the powder nozzle at the end of the hose makes it easy for the user to hit the fire directly, which is important when using a powder extinguisher.

The CO-2 extinguisher, also called the carbon dioxide extinguisher, is another type of fire extinguisher that is very good against electrical fires in electrical installations or other devices.

It works by covering the area with a thick layer of CO2, a gas that is heavier than regular air, and thus displaces the normal air away from the fire, preventing it from receiving oxygen, after which it goes out.

Another advantage of the CO2 extinguisher is that it is very clean, as it only emits a part of the gas that evaporates again.

Types of fire extinguishers you can generally find:

• Powder extinguisher
• CO2 extinguisher
• Foam extinguisher
• Water extinguisher
• Fryer foam
• Spray cans

The foam extinguisher is not used much anymore as it is not very environmentally friendly, but if you are dealing with gasoline or another flammable liquid, it is very effective at extinguishing that type of fire.

If you want a fire extinguisher that is suitable for smaller homes or for the car, you can also get a smaller spray can that you can keep around.

It is good if you don't want a large block of a fire extinguisher lying around the home, but you can easily have a spray can in one of the kitchen drawers.

A spray can can be quickly and easily pulled out of the drawer if, for example, a fire were to break out in the kitchen or in the living room right next to it.

However, it is good to investigate which types of fires the spray can is suitable for, so you can better assess which type you can best use.

#2 - Types of fires

It is important to know the different types of fires that can occur when you are buying a fire extinguisher, as the different fire extinguishers are not equally effective against all types of fires.

Therefore, we provide an overview of the different types of fires and which fire extinguishers are best to use against them, so you can choose the fire extinguisher that fits your needs.

Fire types according to the Danish/European model:

• Fire class A - Flammable solid materials, e.g. paper, cardboard, textiles, certain plastics, and all ember-producing materials.
• Fire class B - Flammable liquids, e.g. gasoline, diesel, oils, alcohol, paint, and similar.
• Fire class C - Flammable gases, e.g. propane, butane, natural gas, and similar.
• Fire class D - Flammable metals, e.g. magnesium, sodium, aluminum powder, iron sulfide, titanium, etc.
• Fire class E - Electrical fires, e.g. fires in electrical installations and other electronic devices.
• Fire class F - Frying, e.g. cooking oils, fats, and frying.

Below you can see which types of fire extinguishers can extinguish the various types of fires:

So, if you are looking for a new fire extinguisher for your home or business, consider what possible fires could arise, so you can choose the right fire extinguisher for that.

#3 - Size of the fire extinguisher

When you are looking for a new fire extinguisher, it can also be important to consider how large it should be, so you get one in the size you need.

If you want a small fire extinguisher for your home, you can get fire extinguishers down to a size of 1kg, which are fine to extinguish most small fires you may encounter.

These are also not particularly large, so they do not take up much space in the home, as you can keep them in the cupboard or in a drawer without major issues.

The smaller models are also not very heavy, making them easier to handle than the heavier fire extinguishers, which can be important when a fire breaks out and you need to react quickly.

Size of common fire extinguishers:

• 1kg
• 2kg
• 6kg

The advantage of having a large fire extinguisher of up to 6kg is that you have a better chance of extinguishing larger fires if they have had the opportunity to spread.

A small fire extinguisher does not have much extinguishing material, so if you want to be completely secured against larger fires, it may be a good idea to invest in a larger fire extinguisher.

In most cases, the larger types of fire extinguishers also come with a wall bracket so you can mount it where you like, e.g. in a cupboard, in the laundry room, or in the garage.

If you want a truly small fire extinguisher, you can also get them in the form of a spray can, which is small enough to keep in the kitchen drawer or have on a shelf.

#4 - Placement of the fire extinguisher

You should also consider where you want the fire extinguisher to be placed when you buy one.

This can greatly affect how effective it is if a fire occurs.

If you are going to have it in the home, it is probably a good idea to have the fire extinguisher placed relatively centrally, as it is often in the kitchen or in living and recreation areas where fires occur.

If you want to be fully covered, you might need to have two fire extinguishers, one for indoor and one for outdoor use.

For businesses and other enterprises, it is important to familiarize yourself with the requirements of occupational safety regulations, so you ensure that you place your fire extinguishers appropriately and according to the rules.