Quote:
Originally Posted by panjumbie
The halons used in fire suppression systems are no longer manufactured due to the severe effect of halon on the ozone layer (much worse than the also banned Freon). All the halon available today is recycled from fire protection systems removed from service (and often replaced with newer, less environmentally dangerous systems,) Portable halon extinguishers are illegal in many locations. Some details are in this EPA post
You are correct that many dry powder extinguishers sold in hardware stores can severely corrode the items that come in contact with the powder. But remember that the first purpose of fire protection is life and safety protection. Things are replaceable, people aren't And your best protection of things is to have a good insurance policy.
If you want an extinguisher that is legal (everywhere) and won't damage your electronics, get a CO2 extinguisher. However, unless you've had firefighting training, if the fire is anything beyond the smallest fire, call the fire department, and get everyone out. Let them put the fire out and stay safe. |
Thanks for the education, but not lecture.
I think everyone can judge for themselves if I they want to tackle a toaster oven vs let half the house burn down while they wait for the fire department. All these hand extinguishers can’t handle that much of a fire. The fire department reach varies a lot around here. So what one chooses to do and be prepared for will respectfully vary a lot.
How often have you heard of people getting killed fighting their own fire with hand held kitchen fire extinguisher? You make it sound like it’s a common problem.