Fire extinguishers can be an important piece of safety equipment in your home or your business, provided you use them properly. Many consumers do not realize that the type of extinguisher they use is important. You cannot simply buy one and set it in your home. Using the wrong one for the type of flame you have could cause the flames to spread even farther.

There are three classes that these products fall into that are based on the source of the flame. Class A models are for flames that are caused paper, fabric, fiberglass, wood, plastic, and other common household items. This one cannot be used on chemical flames. That requires a Class B model. Class B models can also put out gasoline, oil, and grease flames. Electrical flames require a Class C model. Some models combine the different classes into one product, which is great to have at home when you never know what will cause a flame. Sometimes knowing which model to use in your home or business requires the advice of a qualified professional.

Another aspect of installing fire extinguishers that many consumers overlook is the fact that they have to be serviced and inspected. These products can stop working even if they are being not used. You must have a contractor lined up who will come and look at your model and make sure it is in good working order. Nothing would be more devastating than having the way to put out a flame, only to find that it does not work when you need it to.

You also need to know how to use the extinguisher when needed. While all of them have instructions printed on the side, the moment when you are facing a blaze is not the time to start reading. Look at the product and see if you can figure out how to use it. You may want to have a professional come to your home or business and show you exactly how to activate the fireproofing chemicals inside. This way you know you are ready if you should ever need to use it.

When choosing professionals to help you with your fire extinguishers, it is important to make the choice carefully. Anyone could come to your business and pretend to look over your equipment and charge you a high fee for this ?service.? Since you are not an inspector, you would not know the difference. You need to find people with a license to inspect your equipment. This way you know that you are indeed working with someone who is doing what they say they will do.

One place you can find an excellent listing of such professional inspectors is One Source Fire Protection. This online database is the only one on the web dedicated to the fireproofing industry and industry professionals. Here you can browse through listings of inspectors, and each one has the proper license to practice. You can also post a job description for professionals to see. When you visit http://www.onesourcefireprotection.com, you will find all that you need to choose and use the right fire extinguishers.