Confused about which fire extinguisher I need?

[YouPonysTail]

Can anyone advise about which type of fire extinguisher I need?

I have washing machine and tumble dryer in a cupboard. They are under a work surface made from fire retardant plywood and I have a smoke detector in the cupboard. I would like to get a suitable fire extinguisher, just in case, and I'm super confused as to which one I need.

CO2 is for electrical fires but not for solid burning items. I'd hope that any fire would still be limited to the electrics when I was alerted so is that they right one? But if for any reason a fire starts and I don't hear the smoke alarm (very unlikely but you never know) and the plywood did catch fire (think the fire retardant only lasts 30-60 mins) that would be no good?

I also see an ABC dry powder one, which I think would work on wood, and says hood for electrical up to 1000v. Would that be ok since the machines are domestic and run off a 240v plug? Or does the 1000v mean something different?

My head is about to explode. 🤯

I imagine by the time the plywood is alight it would be too late for you to be dancing around with an extinguisher. However, if you want to cover as many bases as possible in this scenario then dry powder seems the best option*. Does the fire service still do fire safety visits for residences? Might be helpful.

*This is the internet and I could be talking complete bollocks for I am no professional.

Thanks - I do want to cover all bases but it had occurred to me too that probably by the time it went up I'd be out and fire service on the way. But then, although it is fire retardant I don't know how long it would hold up in practice.

I'm hoping that someone who does fire safety stuff at work (maybe) might be able to advise me with some degree of proper knowledge 😂

Powder is for electrical if I remember correctly.

You would be best with a fire safety check from your local fire service to advise.

Definitely,takes out the guess work.

Both will work and be suitable. But you can suffocate yourself by using a co2 extinguisher in a small space.
By the time the ply goes up you should be out of there!!

Ok, thanks - I will not go for CO2 then since it is a small space.

I think I'll email the company and ask what the 1000v means and if the powder is suitable for my situation.

Thanks for all replies

isn't there supposed to be some kind of all-purpose one available?

I was considering this as I don't have one in my flat, and it would be either electrical or kitchen fires but that would set other things on fire, and I have no idea what I'd need to use really for either. Escape for me is not a problem as easy exits, but I'd quite like something to use for a small fire just in case, to stop it getting to that point.

Have you thought of fire blankets instead? Or would that not be enough?

There is a little one in a spray can which says it's for everything - but it's quite small and so I'm not sure it'd be big enough for a big appliance. They're also quite expensive for their size but I'm thinking of getting one for the kitchen.

I think fire blankets are for cooker fires - to cover a pan. I don't think they work for electric? In any case wouldn't work for a tumble dryer for sure!

If you have never used powder, be prepared that it trashes everything around you when you use it.

Does it? Oh dear. I guess that in the event that one of the machines caught fire the cupboard would be screwed though regardless and some major repair/redecoration work would be needed whatever happened.

You definitely need advice from your local fire service. Dry powder is not recommended for enclosed spaces - you need to be 6-8ft away from the fire to use it. You basically have so much powder everywhere you can't see, are breathing and swallowing powder. And then absolutely everything in your house is ruined as there is powder everywhere.

When we do fire training at work we are always told, yes there are these extinguishers but actually just leave.

I think powder aren't meant to be used in enclosed spaces because they cause breathing difficulties. In fact I've half a feeling they're looking to ban them because they're that dangerous. (Memories of a health and safety talk at work).

Although the instructions from the fire service is also never use the fire extinguishers unless you're trapped. Get out is your first priority. Only fight the fire if you have to to save lives.

Oh ok - maybe I will contact my local brigade. Thanks all

You can get ones fir all fires now https://www.screwfix.com/p/firexo-all-fires-fire-extinguisher-2ltr/186pg

We have one of these. I would recommend something like this at home as you never know what sort of fire you mite have a fire blanked is a good idea as well. We have one in the kitchen and the fire extguisher is in a central location. I'm not a fire expert but have dealt with a lot of flammable liquids in the past and had fire extinguisher traning at work. I think it would be useful to dobthis if you can as it's harder then you think to use one.

Thanks for that link. I've been reading up some more and have come across water mist extinguishers which use de-ionised water and this means they can be used on domestic electrical fires (somehow - don't understand the science), and they don't have the breathing or clean up issues that other ones do.

Our fire training at work was don't fight a fire unless it's tiny. Like just in a wastepaper bin and not spread anywhere. The trainers always say 'I have to tell you about extinguishers but...'

I have put out a fire twice - once with a fire blanket at work but it was confined to a container. And a chimney fire at home but it was entirely in the chimney and I could get a lot of water on it very fast.

Maybe I'm naive but I have a 10 year battery smoke detector inside the cupboard, and a mains one in the hallway outside that is attached to one's on each floor. They go off with even the slightest whiff of smoke, and can be set off by dust (which is annoying but only an issue when we did building work), so I expect that I'd be alerted before flames had even begun. Obviously if the hallway was filled with smoke then we'd all just get out and call for help, but if it's just starting I'd rather have the means to do something about it and maybe save mass destruction.

The plug sockets in the cupboard are also on their own circuit which would certainly have already tripped.