Considering the cost, frequency and loss of life related to residential fires, it's important for homeowners to have loss-control measures in place. When properly selected, placed and maintained, a fire extinguisher can be a powerful tool to prevent severe fire loss. The best thing is that a fire extinguisher is a relatively cheap investment, as prices start at around $20.
It's important to become familiar with the different classes of fire extinguishers. There are five classes, with each one based on what type of fire the equipment is capable of extinguishing. Below are the five classes of fire extinguishers and what they do. Class A Fire Extinguishers Color - green Geometric symbol - triangle Picture - burning garbage can and woodpile This class of fire extinguisher is intended to be used on ordinary solid combustibles. These types of fires might involve cloth, wood, rubber, paper or certain types of plastic. Class B Fire Extinguishers Color - red Geometric symbol - square Picture - container of fuel and burning puddle This class of extinguisher is intended to be used on flammable liquids and gasses. These types of fires might involve lacquers, gasoline, alcohol, diesel oil, oil-based paints or flammable gas. Class C Fire Extinguishers Color - blue Geometric symbol - circle Picture - burning outlet and electric cord plug This class of extinguisher is intended to be used on electrical equipment. It can be used for fires that involve an appliance, electrical wiring, circuit breaker or electrical outlet. Class D Fire Extinguishers Color - yellow Geometric symbol - star or decagon Picture - burning bearing and gear This class of extinguisher is intended to be used on combustible metals. These fires might involve magnesium, potassium, sodium or titanium. It's important to note that some Class D fire extinguishers will work on multiple metal types, but others are metal-specific. Class K Fire Extinguishers Color - black Geometric symbol - hexagon Picture - burning pan This class of extinguisher is intended to be used on combustible cooking fires. It can be used to put out fires from cooking oils and fats. Extinguisher tips
The takeaway Fire extinguishers are vital protection against fire loss in your home, but they must be properly selected, placed and maintained. Also make sure you have the right extinguishers on hand. Comments are closed.
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September 2022
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501 Bell St.
Dubuque, IA 52001
Phone: (563) 556-0272
An AssuredPartners Agency
In February 2020, The Friedman Group joined AssuredPartners, the 11th largest insurance brokerage in the U.S. This partnership provides us access to additional capital and a national footprint that enables us to continue to negotiate the most favorable coverage terms and conditions for our clients, and allows us to provide an even broader spectrum of risk management support services.
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