A Guide To Different Fire Extinguishers

You may be under the impression that the fire extinguisher in your building is universal, and can fight any fires that may possibly happen. But there are actually five types of fire extinguishers available, and two different versions of two of these, bringing the total combination to 8.

Read on to find out more about types of fire extinguishers and the different classes of fire they can combat.

Fire Extinguisher Types

There is an assortment of fire extinguisher types due to the fact fires can be caused by a variety of different things and will behave in different ways. The six different classes of fire are:

●     Class A - These are fires made by combustible materials such as fabric, paper and wood.

●     Class B - Class B fires are caused by flammable liquids including petrol, paint and turpentine.

●     Class C - Flammable gases cause this type of fire, such as methane, hydrogen or butane.

●     Class D - Class D fires are caused by combustible metals, including magnesium, potassium and lithium.

●     Class E (Electrical Fires) - Fires caused by electrical equipment. Once the electrical equipment is removed from the fire, the fire class changes to another.

●     Class F - Cooking oil fires such as a chip-pan fire.

For these fire classes, there are five main types of extinguishers. These are Water, Foam, Dry Powder, CO2 and Wet Chemical. Water extinguishers are the most common type, as they help fight Class A fires. There are two types of water extinguishers, one that uses a spray nozzle and one that uses a water mist nozzle.

Foam extinguishers are most often used for Class B fires but may also be used for Class A. There are two Dry Powder extinguishers; L2 extinguishers tackle lithium fires while M28 are used for all other flammable metal fires. CO2 extinguishers are used for electrical fires, displacing the oxygen the fire needs to burn. Finally, Wet Chemical extinguishers can be used on Class F fires and are most often found in commercial kitchens.

If you’re not sure what type of extinguisher is right for your building, you can always ask a fire safety specialist for their recommendation.



Fire Protection From Thameside

If you’re looking for fire extinguishers for your property, get in touch with the team at Thameside Fire Protection. We can ensure you have the appropriate class of fire extinguishers suited for your environment, coming to your property to make installation quick and easy. We also offer regular servicing and maintenance, with a 24-hour emergency callout line as well as walk-in refill services at our workshop.

So if you need fire extinguishers, call now on 0800 975 4888 to talk through your fire protection requirements with one of our team. We also stock other fire safety solutions, including sprinklers, alarms, suppression systems and breathing apparatuses. Visit our website today to find out more.