Monday 23 March 2015

What are the different types of fire extinguishers?

Fire extinguisher is the protection equipment that is used to suppress and control flames. It is usually installed on wall for easy and quick access in times of need.

Different types of fires break out in residential and commercial buildings. Different nature of blazes requires different kind of protection equipment. Oil related flame requires a certain type of protection equipment to control it, while electricity flames need something different. There are different types of fire extinguishers that you can install in your building.

Here are the most prominent ones –

Water – It cools down the burning material effectively removing the heat away from area. This equipment is available in several categories such as APW and wet chemical. Different kinds of extinguishers are built for different kinds of blazes. It is considered the least expensive but effective option for fire safety. It is most suitable for class A but not for class B and C blazes. It should be used in the emergencies where electricity is involved.

Foam – This type of extinguishers are most suitable for the class A and B blazes. Foam separates the oxygen from flame by creating a blanket, effectively controlling blaze. But, it should not be used on electrical appliances. This equipment is available in several categories like Aqueous Film Forming Foam, film-forming fluoroprotein, FireAde and Arctic. These safety tools are used to control different kinds of blazes.

Carbon Dioxide
– Carbon Dioxide or Co2 kind of extinguishers are widely used to control electricity-involving flares. It can be used for class B and C flames but not on class A. Co2 is an effective gas that controls flames by removing oxygen from location. It also decreases heat from material effectively cooling it down. Since water and foam are not suitable for electrical fires, Co2 protection equipment is considered the most appropriate for these emergencies.

Dry Chemical – This type of extinguishers are effective for controlling all sorts of flares, whether class A, B or C. Usually nitrogen gas is used in this equipment. It controls flames by separating oxygen or fuel from material. There is variety of dry chemical safety tool that you can install according to your building’s requirements.

It is important to use right kind of extinguisher to control blazes and for people’s safety. Get the right tool according to your industry requirements.

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