The fire extinguishers play a significant role in minimizing the effect of fire. However, you need to maintain and use the equipment to make the most of it. This safety equipment is an integral part of every building, whether residential or commercial. As fire outbreaks are hard to forecast, you need to stay prepared with fire extinguishers to save loss of lives and prevent property damage. However, buying and using a wrong fire extinguisher can do a lot of harm. Here are five significant aspects to know about fire extinguishers.
- Whether the extinguishing agent leaks from the equipment accidentally or you release the agents to douse a small fire, be sure to recharge it right there.
- Although recharging the fire extinguisher after minimal use may not seem right at that moment, topping the equipment with a suitable proportion of the extinguishing agent after every use can help in saving
- There are several different types of fire extinguishers, such as foam spray, ABC powder, CO2, water, and wet chemicals. Apart from this, there are different kinds of fires as well, such as gaseous, from live electrical gadgets, fire arising from kitchen grease, such as cooking oil and deep fat. Apart from this, fire can also merge from flammable materials, such as textiles, wood, and paper along with highly flammable liquids, such as grease, gasoline, and paint.
- You must buy a fire extinguisher based on the requirements of your premises.
- You need to appoint only trained personnel to operate the fire extinguisher.
- Even if you have received training to use a fire extinguisher, you may not feel comfortable while handling it, so hand it over to another expert who is competent enough to work with fire extinguishers.
- The fire extinguisher price may be one of the factors determining your decision but make sure it undergoes visual and physical inspections.
- While the visual inspection must take place every month, the experts need to check the position of the fire extinguisher, whether it is charged fully, the placement of seal and pin, accessibility, or visible damages.
- During the physical inspection of the extinguisher, a competent technician should service the equipment and evaluate the condition of the equipment in the first place.
- The extinguisher must also tell you about the location, type, and number of extinguishers.
- The experts inspecting the extinguishers need to inform you about the malfunctions and defects in the equipment and recommend the right remedies.
Things to know before using fire extinguisher :
You can go ahead and check the fire extinguisher price, but it is necessary to pay attention to the following tips before using the equipment.
- Before using the fire extinguisher, you need to sound the fire alarm and let people know the safest route for exiting a building.
- The fire extinguisher must be present at an appropriate location so that people can access them with ease.
- The fire extinguisher price should not be the only factor to decide which equipment to buy.
- If the fire outbreak covers a small area, using a portable fire extinguisher is the right solution to adopt.
- When the option of evacuating the building is restricted, you must refrain from using a fire extinguisher.
- You are more likely to find the extinguishers in large rooms, stair cases, corridors, mechanical spaces, and located heavy and mounted vehicles.
- Try to figure out an escape route before using a fire extinguisher.
- Even if you use a small amount of the extinguishing agent, it may not hold the charge after one use, so remember to charge it so that the equipment can be used with ease.
Choosing the fire extinguisher :
When buying a fire extinguisher, you are sure to come across different types of equipment available today. You may find most of them similar in appearance but the functionality differs from equipment to equipment. Although the fire extinguisher price is one of the factors to consider, there are a few other factors to keep in mind before buying the equipment.
- Know the fire hazards in your building
When buying an extinguisher, you need to assess different types of fire hazards. Based on the classification of the hazards, you can expect a variation in the fire extinguisher price. Therefore, check the categorization of the hazards before buying the extinguisher.
- Checking the size
The fire extinguishers are available in different sizes and you need to get something that not only helps in putting out the fire but is easy to use for a layman. Try to measure the size of the room where you want to use the extinguisher and evaluate how quickly the fire can spread to other parts of a building and whether the extinguisher can address the hazards in the area.
So, when looking for ways to find the fire extinguisher at the best affordable price, do not ignore the size of the equipment. However, size does not matter as far as the effectiveness of the equipment is concerned. Big-sized equipment indicates that it contains more extinguishing agents.
- Check the ratings
Along with the fire extinguisher price, you need to check the ratings of the equipment. The alphabets and the numbers mentioned on the extinguisher determine the rating. For instance, extinguishers with labels A, B, or C. On the other hand, number indicates the effectiveness of the extinguisher.
Number of extinguishers :
The number of extinguishers you require depends on the type of the building where it is to be used. Therefore, you can consult with suppliers to know the fire extinguisher price based on the equipment you need.
Using the fire extinguisher :
Before using the fire extinguisher, you must read the instructions on the label thoroughly. The extinguishers differ based on the kind of fire, so using the wrong may cause the fire to spread further or even explode. As soon as you discover the outbreak of fire, you need to make the escape route ready and use it from a safe distance. All you need to do is pull the pin of the handle and hold the nozzle at the fire base. In the next step, you need to squeeze the lever slowly and sweep the equipment sideways at the fire base. Using a fire extinguisher judiciously helps you get rid of fire with ease.
