Fire Estinguishers question

[NetWareHead]

Shopping for a fire extinguisher for my house. THE ABC types say on the box that they contain a powder that fuses to hot surfaces making cleanup difficult and the BC one have a powder that doesn't fuse so it is easier cleanup.

I'm leaning towards the BC fire extinguishers for this reason, but can the BC extinguishers also put out an A type fire like the ABC extinguishers?

Or any tips on fire extinguishers for me? I'm looking for a rechargeable one and would probably pick it up from home depot.

 

[frodrick]

there are different types of fire extinguishers?

 

[Cobalt]

Originally posted by: frodrick
there are different types of fire extinguishers?

Yes. I know that ABC are good to carry in cars, if you carry one in your car anyway.

 

[PHiuR]

if bc cant do a and ab cant do c and ac cant do b then which one should you get?

 

[NetWareHead]

Originally posted by: frodrick
there are different types of fire extinguishers?

A= paper, brush, wood fires
B= flammable liquid fires
C= electrical fires

 

[olds]

I use all ABC

 

[dullard]

Originally posted by: frodrick
there are different types of fire extinguishers?

There are tons of types, each better at putting out different types of fires. Water is great on a wood fire, but bad on a grease fire (it just spreads the grease around which spreads the fire) and not so good on an electrical fire (water plus electricity isn't the best idea).

I don't know them well enough to make recommendations. However, if your house is burning down, the last thing I'd worry about is easy cleanup. Instead, I'd want something that could put out the widest range of fires so as little damage is done as possible.

 

[HappyPuppy]

When a fire breaks out in your house the least of your worries is cleaning up afterwards.

 

[labgeek]

House - ABC ... Too many things that can blow around for a BC (CO2). If you forget in the heat of the moment (no pun intended), and use a BC on say a waste paper basket you will make it worse by spreading the fire. Yes cleanup is a bitch but compared to losing a room or a whole house it's nothing. For small fires like on the stovetop just use baking soda first to minimize cleanup. If that doesn't work, hit it with the extinguisher.


Hey - this is my 1000th post!! I'm Golden now!

 

[FoBoT]

class delta materials have thier own oxidizer, things like rocket motors
but most people don't have that stuff at home/car, so you dont' need one that can handle type D materials

just get ABC so you are covered

 

[Colt45]

Originally posted by: HappyPuppy
When a fire breaks out in your house the least of your worries is cleaning up afterwards.

bingo.

 

[sharkeeper]

Text

Get a Halon unit.

In theory, if your dinner catches fire, you can squelch the flames and still eat it! Try doing that with drychem!

Ok the latter MAY work if you're eating Mexican foodstuff!

 

[minendo]

Get an ABC extinguisher. Going just BC for cleaning reasons is assinine.

 

[NetWareHead]

I read a few more things online and found that even the BC chemical extinguishers throw a huge amount of dust in the air so cleanup would be the same. And when you look at it, like someone posted here, when my house is on fire, cleanup should be the last thing on my mind. So I got an ABC last night. Big one too, rechargeable and rated at 4-A, 60-B:C. Thanks for all the help.

 

[Calin]

An extinguisher with carbon dioxide and dust would be the best - they work against all kind of fires, and are safe against electricity fires. They have good effect against petrol/gasoline fires (but for those best would be chemical foam).
Water - until the electricity to the house is disconnected, water is more of a danger than a help

 

[Biggerhammer]

Assuming that you have any flammable solids in your house, having an enxtinguisher that can delete class A fires might be a better idea than wondering if it'll be harder to 1- scrub extra hard afterwards or 2- build a new house.

 

[Toasthead]

get ABC...cleanup will be the leastof your worries IF you ever have to use it.