Fire Extinguishers

By: David Webster (Page 2 of 5)

Photos by: Ned Metura

Look for all three of these icons for an ABC-rated extinguisher that will handle all major fire types. "A" puts out fires fueled by wood, paper, cloth, rubber, most plastics and fabrics. "B" extinguishes fires fueled by flammable liquids, like oil, gasoline, grease and kerosene. "C" is for fires caused by TVs, wiring, electronic devices and other electrical equipment.

Photos by: Ned Matura

All Extinguishers have a lock pin that prevents the handle from functioning and the contents from accidentally discharging. First Alert's Model FE1A10G disposable (top left) has a one-handed plastic trigger grip. It weighs just 3 lbs., 6oz. A drawback: The largest size available is 1-A: 10-B:C. The 8-lbs., rechargeable Kidde Fireaway 340 (bottom) has an aluminum container and a hose that allows you to reach a fire in tight spots without getting too close. The Amerex A400 (top right) adds metal valves and handles, and weighs about 8½ lbs. The Kidde and Amerex units require two hands to operate.

Images by: Joel F. Naprstek

Remember the P-A-S-S system:

1. Pull the pin to unlock the handle.
2. Aim low at the base of the fire.
3. Squeeze the handle.
4. Sweep the unit from side to side.

Browse Images

How-To Video

Browse More

How to Choose a Carbon Monoxide Detector

In this how-to video, This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey examines various types of carbon-monoxide detectors

Watch The Video

On Newsstands Now

In the Magazine

Easy Upgrades That Say Welcome Home

What You'll Learn:

What Are Their Limits?
Portable extinguishers are only part of a complete fire-safety plan that includes smoke detectors, an evacuation plan, and, say fire officials, a sprinkler system.

"A heat-activated residential sprinkler system provides the best chance of survival," says Mark Conroy, senior fire protection engineer with the Quincy, Massachusetts-based National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), an independent organization that formulates standards for fire safety. The downside is cost: While the NFPA estimates a sprinkler system adds about 2 percent to the cost of building a new home — about $3,000 to $6,000 for a 2,000-square-foot house — retrofitting an existing home with one costs even more.

But Conroy and other experts agree that extinguishers have their place if you know their limits. Most residential extinguishers provide an effective range of just 6 to 10 feet, and last about 10 seconds before their contents deplete. That's why they work best on small, contained fires like the ones in wastebaskets and small appliances. The key is catching the fire early while its temperature is relatively low. Once the fire becomes entrenched, filling a room with heat, smoke, and deadly gases, the odds that you'll put it out with an extinguisher quickly drop.

These same limitations make extinguishers useless if a fire spreads to other parts of a room. That's why calling the department right away is so important. "We see situations like this a lot," notes David Nichols, fire marshal with the Chesterfield Fire District, west of St. Louis. "The occupants start using an extinguisher and neglect to call the fire department. In the meantime, the fire gets away from them."

Delaying that call wastes valuable time. "Just three to five minutes can make a huge difference in how far a fire spreads," Nichols adds.