If you are looking for a fire extinguisher, it’s usually common practice to grab any extinguisher off the shelf but did you know that there are a many different extinguishers for a variety of fire situations? Read below to ensure your home or workplace has the right kind of fire extinguisher.
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) classifies fires into five general categories:CLASS A fires are ordinary materials like burning paper, cardboard, lumber, plastics etc.
CLASS B fires involve flammable or combustible liquids such as gasoline or kerosene.
CLASS D fires involve combustible metals such as magnesium, potassium, titanium etc. These materials burn at a high temperatures and will react violently with water, air or other chemicals. These must be handled with care.
CLASS K fires are kitchen fires. This class was added to the NFPA portable extinguishers Standard 10 in 1998.
The most common types of extinguishers are:
Dry chemical:
Useful for either Class ABC or BC fires and are really your best all around choice for common fire situations. They leave a blanket of non-flammable material on the extinguished material which in turn reduces the chance of reigniting. Be warned they make a terrible mess but if the choice is a fire or a mess, cheaper to take the mess! A reminder there are two kinds of dry chemical extinguishers:
Carbon dioxide (CO2) extinguishers:
Used for Class B and C fires. They have an advantage over dry chemical in that they leave behind no harmful residue which makes them the perfect choice for an electrical fire involving a computer or other delicate equipment. CO2 extinguishers do not have pressure gauges because carbon dioxide is a condensable gas. To determine the amount of carbon dioxide remaining in an extinguisher, subtract the tare weight (empty weight stamped on the extinguisher) from the current weight.
Metal/Sand extinguishers are for flammable metals (Class D fires) and work by simply smothering the fire. You should have an approved Class D fire extinguisher if you are working with flammable metals.
K-Type (kitchen) extinguishers are a must have in commercial kitchens for fighting potential grease fires noting that they will contaminate your kitchen and food. Grease fires burn very hot and spread quickly. In your average residential kitchen, cover the fire with a lid or smother with baking soda to contain the blaze.
Understanding the different types of fire and fire extinguishers is a great step towards complete fire protection.
For more information on how we can help you achieve all around fire protection:
Call us at (807) 223-3327
Email us at safe@fireandsecurity.ca
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