What should I look for when purchasing a fire extinguisher? When buying a fire extinguisher, consider these important safety features and suggested prices. Fire safety in the home continues to be a huge...
Fire safety in the home continues to be a huge issue among consumers and homeowners. A sudden fire could not only take away all the material possessions that a family owns, but it also has the potential to do bigger damage by causing bodily injury or death. Experts all agree that the best way to prevent fires in the home is to be well informed on the many different ways that a homeowner can make their home fire safe.
Some of the most popular ways to help protect a home from a fire involve getting as much information on the extension cords used in the home, keeping matches away from children and heaters away from combustible items. But even the most prepared homeowner will run into a flaw at times. And in those situations, experts suggest that consumers and homeowners always keep a fire extinguisher in the home.
With over 18 years as a Fire Marshall in Georgetown, Texas, Dan Jansen is an expert in the world of fire safety. During his tenure as a Fire Marshall, Jansen has dealt primarily with fire education, safety and prevention. Jansen said that searching for the right fire extinguisher ultimately means not being cheap.
"What you need to do is make sure your extinguisher is all metal, meaning you have a metal canister and a metal head," he said. "You do not want to get one that has plastic parts because the plastic on the fire extinguishers, with time, heat, and ultraviolet light, will deteriorate the plastic and make it brittle. It is important to have an all-metal extinguisher. You need one that is going to have a gauge on it. This way you can easily look at it and see whether or not it's in a proper operating range."
"Good quality all-metal fire extinguishers can be good for as long as you live," he added. "However, make sure that they are good quality extinguishers. The good thing about an all-metal extinguisher is that once you use it, you can refill it! You can contact the fire extinguisher company, and they will usually come to service that extinguisher for a nominal fee. This nominal fee is a lot cheaper than buying a new one. If you have a fire extinguisher that has a plastic head, most fire extinguisher companies will not refill them, and you will be forced to buy a new fire extinguisher. A typical price of a good 5lb all-metal fire extinguisher, depending on the area of the country you are in, is going to be around $35-$40. This is extremely cheap for your personal safety."
Even though Jansen advises consumers to go with the all metal fire extinguishers, he's not going to tell anyone that having a plastic fire extinguisher in your home is not a good idea. It may even be a good start for someone in an apartment with a small kitchen. Whatever type of fire extinguisher you may choose, just be sure not to forget about it.
"Fire extinguishers are very important," Jansen said. "Unfortunately, most people buy them and forget about them. They place them underneath a kitchen sink or somewhere out of the way, and they just forget about them. But if you can, fire extinguishers are something that you really need to spend some money on."
