Safety is a main concern within your home, which means that a fire extinguisher is essential. Fires have the potential to be not only unpredictable but also deadly. The only way that you can safely be prepared for a house fire is to have a fire extinguisher on hand. There are many types of fire extinguishers that you can buy, so it is important to know what factors to consider in order to ensure that you make the best purchase for the safety of your home.

Weight

Weight is something that you need to be aware of when it comes to the fire extinguisher that you buy. You might think that a lightweight option is ideal because it offers more ease of use, but a heavier fire extinguisher will provide more protection from a fire. An extinguisher that is heavier will contain more flame retardant and will be able to provide quicker and longer results. Small fire extinguishers can be conveniently placed under the sink, but larger fire extinguishers can be attached to the wall in plain view. You can place them high enough on the wall so that they are out of reach of small children, but still easily accessible when a fire is present. Instead of opting for lightweight, you should look for a fire extinguisher that is heavier.

Class

There are also different classes of fire extinguishers that you can buy depending on the type of fire that you are fighting. Class A is designated for wood or paper fires, Class B denotes oil and grease, while C is for electrical fires only. If you want to make simplified, you should choose to buy a type of fire extinguisher that is an ABC model. This is a type of extinguisher that is used for all type of fires that you will come across in your home. You should also make sure that the extinguisher that you choose to buy is certified and tested within a laboratory.

Manufactured

You also need to be sure that when you do buy a fire extinguisher that the indicator on it shows that it is full. The pressure indicator should be visible and the only way that it will be able to effectively fight a fire is if it is full. You should also only buy a fire extinguisher that was manufactured within the last year because dry chemical extinguishers should be discarded after a year.