What to Do After You Have Used Your Home Fire Extinguisher

If a fire breaks out in your kitchen, it is important that you understand how to use your fire extinguisher to deal with the hazard. However, it is equally important that you understand the actions you need to take once the fire it out. Below is a guide to 3 things you need to do once you have used a fire extinguisher to combat a domestic fire.

Contact the emergency services 

If you have managed to extinguish the fire in your kitchen completely, you may not think it is necessary to call the emergency services. However, placing a call to the emergency services is an important thing to do. The fire service may be able to identify the cause of the blaze and can offer advice about any further action you need to take to make your kitchen safe. The emergency services will also be able to ensure that any chemicals released during the operation of the extinguisher do not damage the local environment. Also, if you need to claim on your home insurance for any damaged caused by the fire, you may need to prove that you contacted the emergency services. Failure to provide this proof could result in your claim being denied. 

Recycle your fire extinguisher

After a blaze, you will be left with a partially used or empty fire extinguisher. A fire extinguisher is designed to be used once, so you should not store it in your home, even if the foam or water gauge shows that it is half full. You should not place a fire extinguisher in a general waste bin. Because the contents of the extinguisher is still under pressure, it could explode if it is crushed by a waste collection truck or if it is subjected to intense heat. The contents of a fire extinguisher may also be harmful to the natural environment. The easiest way to dispose of a used fire extinguisher is to contact the manufacturer or a business which sells fire fighting equipment. Either of these companies should be happy to take your fire extinguisher so that it can be serviced, refilled and resold. You may even receive a discount on the price you pay for a new extinguisher. 

Purchase a new fire extinguisher

Having used a fire extinguisher to fight a domestic fire, you will understand how important they can be. You should not hang around after a fire. You need to buy a replacement fire extinguisher as soon as possible. You should not lull yourself into a false sense of security by thinking that you will not experience another fire so soon after the first. Lightning can strike twice.

If you would like further advice about how to safely dispose of a used fire extinguisher, you should contact a fire equipment company today.