The 3 most common classes of home fires:

Class A - Fires involving ordinary combustibles, such as wood cloth or paper.

Class B - Fires involving flammable liquids, greases, gases etc.

Class C - Electrical equipment fires.

There are 3 general types of fire extinguishers to fight these fires:

• Multipurpose dry chemical - Class A,B, and C
• Foam - Class A and B
• Carbon Dioxide - Class B and C

** Remember water only works against class A fires.**

The extinguisher most commonly recommended for home use is the multipurpose dry chemical rated at 1A-10B-C. It is effective against all three most common types of fires and will contain the symbols A,B and C on it.

Make sure to keep it in the kitchen where 65% of home fires start. Mount it properly in an easy to reach spot, and show everyone in the house where it is and how to use it.

It is normally recommended to replace old extinguishers every 12 years.

-- Greg Lewis, State Farm