Choosing the Right Fire Extinguisher

6/14/2023 (Permalink)

Fire damage happens unexpectedly, but choosing the right fire extinguisher gives you a sense of control over the uncontrollable. Several factors come into play when picking the right fire extinguisher- factors like the specific type of fire, UL rating for safety and performance, and size depending on where the fire is happening. It’s easy to assume that fire extinguishers all look one way, but that couldn’t be further from the truth! It can be a matter of life and death, literally, when picking out the right fire extinguisher because it saves lives and can even protect your belongings from being too far gone. 

What Factors Should You Keep In Mind When Purchasing A Fire Extinguisher?

As mentioned above, the three main factors you should keep in mind when picking a fire extinguisher are:

• Type of fire: Fire hazards often come from flammable liquids like oils or electrical appliances. Fire extinguishers are grouped into categories based on what types of fires they can put out; for example, Class A fires stem from ordinary combustible materials like wood, and Class K fires come from cooking oils like vegetable oil. Remember that Class K fires are not to be confused with Class B fires which stem from oils, but these oils originate from grease and gasoline. 
• UL rating for safety and performance: UL ratings are broken down into three ratings: Class A, Class B, and Class C ratings. Class A ratings represent water equivalency on a scale of 1-40, where one extinguisher = ¼ of a gallon. Class B and C extinguishers represent how many square feet the extinguisher can reach when putting out a fire. 
• Size: Fire extinguishers are meant to be effective during a fire, not too large and bulky for the average person to use during a crisis because that would defeat the purpose. Several fire extinguishers come in 10-pound, 5-pound, and 2-pound variations. As you can guess, 10-pound fire extinguishers are best for commercial properties, whereas 2-pound fire extinguishers are best for keeping on hand in your vehicle. The 5-pounder is great to have in your West End home or even in small office spaces. 

What Content Cleaning Services Does SERVPRO Offer After A Fire?

SERVPRO offers a host of content cleaning services to restore your items to their preloss condition, including the following:

• Dry Cleaning: This type of cleaning involves a light cleaning of any residues before wet cleaning.
• Wet Cleaning: Our wet cleaning methods best treat moderate to heavy residues. 
• Immersion Cleaning: As the name suggests, immersion cleaning involves dipping your belongings into the cleaning product, similar to giving your belongings a bath. 
• Move-Outs/Packouts: If your West End home requires extensive fire damage cleanup and restoration services, our move-out and pack-out services are the best option! This can lead to a quicker remodeling process and prevents further damage from happening. 
• Contents Claim Inventory Service: This service provides a detailed and accurate list of all your belongings which is helpful for insurance purposes. 
• Read more about our content-cleaning services here!

SERVPRO of Belle Meade/West Nashville has the tools, fast emergency response times, and a highly-trained team to restore your West End home or business to its condition before fire damage. We know that a fire blazing through your property is stressful enough without the hassle of what needs to happen afterward- and SERVPRO understands. Our mission is to help you return to your new normal as soon as possible. If you need fire or water damage restoration and cleanup services in West End, contact us at (615) 242-9391. We are a BBB-accredited business AND a Hire Vets Medallion Awards recipient- and we were only one of 17 businesses recognized for the latter award in Tennessee, so you know we’re legit!

This franchise is independently owned and operated.