Fire Extinguishers

Fire accidents are spontaneous and can occur anytime and at any place. Quick action is a must to make sure that the fire doesn’t spread out and cause damage. Well, this is where the fire extinguishers come into play. Those little red things that you’d have probably seen in all kinds of buildings are lifesavers. They’ve proven to be one of the best fire security equipment in curbing the fire spread within an establishment. Yes, we know that most of your readers would know this. But, there’s more, and we’ll get them sorted in this article. Read through this guide to know all about fire extinguishers and purchase the best effortlessly.

Not only is it smart to keep these fire extinguishing systems at your place, but it’s also a law in many states. That said, let’s get to know how these incredible devices work before we explore their various types. Fire extinguishing systems are sturdy metal cylinders that contain water or smothering material. This material expels with high pressure when you depress the lever at the top of the cylinder. The action looks similar to the way the materials force out of an aerosol can. This is how pretty much all the extinguishing cylinders work. But, you can still find their various models out there. Some are excellent, while others aren’t that great. Let’s check out their different types and a few popular ones that you can invest in.

The different fire extinguisher types and the top-selling models to choose from

As mentioned earlier, you’ll find different types out there on the market. To be precise, you’ll encounter five major versions – the foam, water, dry powder, wet chemical and CO2. But, remember, the need for different types of fire extinguishing systems arises based on the different kinds of fire and causes. Which is why you need to understand the fire classes first. You can categorise fire classes into six different types. Class A includes fires caused by combustible materials like paper, fabric, etc. On the other hand, you can include the fire caused by paint, turpentine, or petrol in class B. Similarly, you’ll find class C, D, E and F that include various causes of fire such as flammable gases, combustible materials, cooking oils, and electrical wires. Now, let’s understand the multiple distinguishers in detail.

The foam fire extinguisher

The foam extinguishers are one of the most common types of fire extinguishers out there that you use for class B fires. But, these are water-based. This means you can also use them for class A fires. However, typically you may use them for fires caused by various organic materials like coal, textiles, wood, fabrics, cardboard and paper among other flammable liquids such as petrol and paint. Remember, you shouldn’t use these types of extinguishers for fires caused by combustible metals in the kitchen fires and the ones that involve electrical equipment. By the way, these extinguishers have a cream label colour.

The water fire extinguisher

You use these extinguishers to put out the class A fires. Besides, in most premises, it’s imperative to have either a foam or water  extinguishers. Unlike the foam extinguishers, these have a bright red label. But, when it comes to putting out the fire, you can use them for fires caused by textiles, fabrics, coal, paper or other liquids like petrol or paint just like foam extinguishers. Remember, you shouldn’t use them for fires caused by flammable gas and liquids. Also, please do not use them where there’s a fire caused by electrical equipment. Further, it would help if you placed these extinguishers by the exit on floors that have been identified for class A fire risk.

The dry powder extinguisher

Also known as ABC extinguishers, you can use these standard fire extinguishers to put off class A, class B, and class C fires. You can also use them to stop the fire that involves electrical equipment. Apart from this, you’ll also find special dry powder extinguishers that you can use for fires caused by flammable metals. However, make sure not to use them in enclosed spaces. That’s because you can easily inhale the dry powder of the extinguisher. Besides, it isn’t easy to clean up the residual mess once the fire is over. And yes, the extinguisher comes with a blue label colour.

The wet chemical fire extinguisher

The chemical extinguishers are designed to use on class F fires caused by cooking oils and fats. However, you can also use them on class A fires. But, we all know that foam or water extinguishers are the best when it comes to putting off class A fires. But, you can still use these wet chemical fire extinguishers to extinguish the type A fires. Typically, these extinguishers to have a dry powder composition. The dry powder smothers the fire by forming a barrier between the source of oxygen and the fuel. Unlike other fire extinguishers, this one has a yellow label colour.

The CO2 fire extinguisher

If you aim to extinguish fires caused by electrical equipment, then there are no better extinguishers than CO2 extinguishers. Their peculiar nature makes them one of the most popular extinguisher model provided in the computer server rooms. These extinguishers generally put out the class B fires. How do they work? Well, they usually suffocate the fires by displacing the oxygen that the fire needs to continue burning. Remember, you need to place these extinguishers near the potential source of fire or near the fire exits such as server rooms, offices, kitchens, and premises with electrical equipment and appliances.