Show Your Employees That You Care

Posted on: 29 November 2017

According to the U.S. Fire Administration, there were over 1 million fires reported in 2014, resulting in 3,275 deaths. Because fires cause both damage and fatalities, it is important to have a fire extinguisher in your home. Unfortunately, however, not just any fire extinguisher will do. There are different types of extinguishers, and each one contains features that are effective for putting out different kinds of fires.

To help you find the one that you need, here are four types of fire extinguishers:

Dry Chemical

One of the most common types of fire extinguishers, this type does exactly what it sounds like it does, which is, it takes out the chemical reaction of a fire. A dry chemical fire extinguisher is effective on the following types of fires:

• Class A: combustibles include wood and paper
• Class B: combustibles include gases and liquids
• Class C: combustibles include electrical equipment

Because they work on various types of fires, fire extinguisher services usually recommend having this type in the home.

Water and Foam

With a water and foam fire extinguisher, the water and foam work together to put the fire out. The water is used to take away the heat, while the foam breaks apart the oxygen and the fire. One of the simplest types to use, this fire extinguisher only works on fires that are categorized as Class A. Water and foam extinguishers can make a Class B fire worse, and when used on a Class C fire, it could pose a shock hazard.

Carbon Dioxide (CO2)

Useful for Class B and Class C fires, this type of fire extinguisher removes oxygen from a fire, and the cold discharge effectively removes heat from a fire. One reason a CO2 fire extinguisher works well on electrical fires is that the carbon dioxide will not damage electrical equipment. This is a great fire extinguisher to have in the office, a workshop, or wherever there is a lot of electrical equipment.

Water Mist

The mist of water that gets discharged by this type of fire extinguisher takes the heat away from the fire. The water mist fire extinguisher is effective for Class A fires, but can also be used on Class C fires without having to worry about getting shocked. It should be noted that this type of extinguisher is mainly used for putting out small fires, but since it removes heat from a fire, it can also be helpful when trying to safely exit a burning building.

Contact a company like Tri County Fire Protection for more information and assistance.