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Westminster's #1 Trusted Fire Protection Alarm System & Service
A Guide to Purchasing a Fire Extinguisher
Fire Extinguisher

As a fire spreads its size doubles every 60 seconds. The average response times for fire departments is six minutes. Having a fire extinguisher available reduces the loss of life and property by 80%.

 

Fire Extinguisher Basics

 

Before buying an extinguisher you need to know what the ratings mean. You also need to think about potential accelerants in the area the extinguisher is intended for.

 

Extinguisher Ratings Explained

 

In rooms where cloth, paper, and wood pose a fire threat you will want an A rated fire extinguisher. For the garage or other areas where there are chemicals and fuels, a B rating is needed. Type C extinguishers are for electrical fires. An ABC rating is a universal fire extinguisher.

 

A Warning About ABC Extinguishers

 

While an ABC rated fire extinguisher can be used in the kitchen a BC-rated fire extinguisher is the better choice. The chemical suppressant in an ABC unit can ignite when used on a grease fire.

 

Alpha-Numerical Ratings

 

Numbers in an extinguisher rating indicates the chemical capacity of the unit and the area it covers. The number is based on the gallons of water that would be necessary to achieve the same results as the chemical suppressant. A 1A rating equals 1.25 gallons of water. 2A and 4A ratings are equivalent to 2.5 and 4 gallons respectively. At a minimum, you want a 2A rating.

 

B Alpha-Numerical Ratings

 

Fire extinguishers with a B rating are further rated according to the area they can cover. A 10B rating equals 10 square feet of coverage. Each increment of 10 represents an additional 10 square feet of coverage ie; 20B covers 20 square feet and so on. When purchasing a B rated unit look for at least a 10B rating. To learn more about fire protection safety visit westminster fire.

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