Keeping a fire extinguisher in your home or office is the best way to protect your properties from the sudden occurrence of fire in your home.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!It is a sure way to prevent a small fire from spreading before you get help from firefighters who have different types of fire extinguishers.
Fortunately, they come in manageable sizes that you can conveniently keep in the corner of your living environment, and their cost is highly affordable.
I have selected some of the best kitchen fire extinguishers for your home. But before we take a look at them, I will explain the various types and classes of fire extinguishers in detail.
To conform to the current regulations, you must select the best kitchen fire extinguisher in terms of type and class.
Let us take a look at the various styles of fire extinguishers.
Because there are water extinguishers, rechargeable fire extinguishers, wet chemical extinguishers, carbon dioxide extinguishers to name a few to fight different kinds of fires.
Classes of Fire
When it comes to classifying fire extinguishers, it is done based on the type of fire used. Having the right kind of fire extinguisher is key to putting off the fire at the time of incidence. Below are the Six distinguished classes of fire.
Class A: refers to fire caused by materials like paper, fabric, and easily combustible materials.
Class B: refers to fire caused by liquid like petrol, and other flammable liquids
Class C: refers to fire caused by flammable gases like hydrogen, methane, and other combustible gases
Class D: here is a fire caused by materials like magnesium, potassium acetate, aluminum, and other materials.
Class F: is caused by chip-pan fire and other forms of cooking oils
Electrical Fire: as the name denotes, they are fires from electrical equipment.
Types of Fire Extinguishers
We will take a look at the different types of main classes of fire extinguishers. We will break them down based on the materials contained inside the extinguisher.
Water fire extinguisher
This set of extinguishers contains water as the primary liquid in the container. They many at times have some other groups of additives.
They are used basically for class A fires, they spray water at high pressure to smother the flames.
They find use in libraries, museums, operating rooms, and rooms with collections of books and light materials. Their disadvantage is that they cannot be used in an environment with low temperatures.
This is to the fact that water quickly freezes under poor conditions. Some water fire extinguishers come with antifreeze; this creates chances of using them in a low-temperature environment. Water fire extinguishers are brilliant for kitchen use in the event of a kitchen fire.
Carbon dioxide fire extinguishers
They are used for class B and C fires. They are expelled from their container in the form of a gas with a short-range between 3 and 8 ft.
They are not recommended for an environment where there is substantial air movement or for outdoor use.
They primarily find use in environments where there are delicate electrical appliances, laboratories, or settings where
you do not want the fire extinguishers to leave a residue.
The primary disadvantage is the reduction in atmospheric oxygen when this extinguisher is in use. As such, it must be used with caution.
You may want to read why you need carbon monoxide in your home here.
Dry Chemical Fire Extinguisher
It is the type of fire extinguisher you will easily find in homes and offices because it can be used on two or more different kinds of fire sources.
Dry chemical Extinguishers blocks access to oxygen to put off the fire. They contain an ammonium phosphate base agent.
Film-Forming foam type
They can be used for both class A and B fires. Unlike water and carbon dioxide fire extinguishers that discharge water and liquid, the film-forming type discharges foam material.
They have a higher advantage when used on class B flammable surfaces. They can float on surfaces and prevent the fire from Reigniting. Another recommended extinguisher for fighting home fires.
Why is class B extinguisher my go-to?
When thinking of the best Kitchen fire Extinguishers, my go-to is Class B fire extinguishers as they are designed to combat fires that involve flammable liquids or gases. These include substances such as:
-
Gasoline
-
Oil
-
Grease
-
Paint
-
Alcohol
-
Propane and butane
As you can see, all the above are found at one time or the other in our kitchens. These types of fires can ignite quickly and spread rapidly, especially in environments where combustible vapors are present.
Water is ineffective (and often dangerous) on Class B fires because it can cause flammable liquids to spread.
Considerations when Selecting the Best Kitchen Fire Extinguisher
Having seen the different classes of fire and types of fire extinguishers, below are some considerations to help you select the best kitchen fire extinguisher.
1. Size and weight
Although they have similar shapes but they come in diverse sizes and weights. It also affects the number of chemicals you will have available.
It is tempting to think the more significant, the better, but you must remember that large and bulky extinguishers are challenging to store.
If you only have a large fire extinguisher, it`s time to invest in an emergency fire blanket.
2. Type of Fire
The type of fire must be of priority when selecting the best kitchen fire extinguisher. It would
help if you were looking for a fire extinguisher to address a fire in your home.
3. Maintenance and Refill
Fire extinguishers need refill and maintenance after some time of use. Those for home use
usually are not that expensive and of less quality. As such, it is cost-effective to replace and
avoid the cost of maintenance.
Below are some of the best kitchen fire extinguishers we have identified for your use.
1. First Alert Kitchen Fire Extinguisher
When a fire occurs in your kitchen, water is not an option when it comes to putting it off.
Continuous spillage of water can cause electrocution, and water will spread fire from grease.
You will find a fire extinguisher like the first alert kitchen fire valuable extinguisher in such
instances.
It uses a dry chemical powder to put off the fire and also comes very handy and convenient to
use. With its constituent, not more than 1.5 pounds, it is well enough to put of accidental
grease fire emanating from your kitchen quickly
2. Amerex Dry Chemical Multipurpose Fire Extinguisher
Amerex comes with a bracket that you can screw and hold your extinguisher in place.
It can conveniently be screwed to your wall in the kitchen environment or a panel in your car. It comes with 2.5 pounds and is small enough to hold and point to a fire source.
3. LabMaster ABC dry chemical Fire Extinguisher
You will find Label master convenient with 10 pounds of dry powder chemical for a large kitchen environment. Although it is an affordable option, it can still be serviced.
It comes with a pressure gauge and a convenient rubber discharge hose. I store mine just under the kitchen sink for quick reach.
4. Kidde Pro 210 fire extinguisher
Take it or leave it, Kidde remains a pro and a leader in the fire extinguisher market. Our list of the best kitchen fire extinguishers will not be complete without it.
Kidde Pro comes with aluminum, unlike most others that come with steel. It is to help reduce the cumulative weight.(Some home fire extinguishers can weigh up to 9kg).
I’m not talking of commercial kitchens where cooking fires can quickly get out of control; for that, you`ll need a proper fire extinguisher with the right size.
The top of it is that they come with a discharge hose that helps you target the firebase for an
effective fire attack. It is serviceable, and you can maintain it conveniently.
Here are some Safety Tips when using different fire extinguisher types
-
Never use water on a Class B fire.
-
If the fire is spreading rapidly or involves pressurized gas, evacuate immediately.
-
Ensure regular inspection and maintenance of extinguishers.
-
Know your surroundings and exit paths before using an extinguisher.
I hope this post will help you find the best fire extinguisher. If it’s fire blankets or a rechargeable extinguisher, find what meets your needs and with easy access in your kitchen to control kitchen fires.
Having said that, install smoke detectors in different rooms. Smoke alarms provide an early warning in case of a fire. Whether you’re asleep or away from home, a working smoke alarm ensures you’re alerted to danger as soon as possible.
It’s a simple, affordable device that saves lives and should not be an afterthought, even if you have the best extinguisher
For restaurant kitchens, it`s safe to have multipurpose fire extinguishers, but that`s for another post altogether, not on this post otherwise this will be too long.
References
1. National Fire Protection Association
https://www.nfpa.org/News-and-Research/Publications-and-media/Blogs-Landing–
Page/NFPA-Today/Blog-Posts/2021/07/16/Fire-Extinguisher-Types
Leave a Reply