Fire Extinguishers - The Significance Of The Different Types Available
- Date: 2010-03-18 - Word Count: 512
Share This!
Some people may think that there's really only one type of fire extinguisher, but there are a few different types commonly used by homes and businesses. Fire extinguishers are separated into four different categories. Each category is based on the type of fire it can be used to handle.
The four categories that extinguishers are placed into are Class A, Class B, Class C, and Class D. Class A extinguishers are for ordinary materials like paper, plastics, and wood. Class B fires are ones that involve flammable liquids. Such liquids would be gasoline, kerosene or oil. Class C fires are electrical related fires. Using water to put these types of fires out can be dangerous, as the risk of electrocution is possible. Class D fires are chemical fires, caused by combustible metals. Class D fires are generally found at chemical labs, and shouldn't be a concern to the average home.
Certain fire extinguishers are made to put out each category. Water extinguishers, dry chemical extinguishers, and carbon dioxide extinguishers are three of the most commonly found in households. Water extinguishers are only useful for a Class A fire. Usually they work using air pressure to spray the water inside the tank. Using them on electric fires, grease fires, or any Class D fires will cause the fire to spread and grow. It can be incredibly dangerous to use them on anything other than a Class A type fire.
Dry chemical extinguishers are another common household extinguisher. They are sometimes referred to as powder fire extinguishers or foam fire extinguishers. These work by using powders or foams and pressurizing the tank using nitrogen. These can be used to put out Class A, B and C fires. When used, these extinguishers can leave behind a corrosive residue. So after insuring that everything is safe, cleaning the extinguishing foam off will prevent any extra corrosion of materials.
Carbon dioxide extinguishers, or CO2 extinguishers, are used to put out Class B and C fires. These work by using very highly pressurised CO2 filled tanks. The tanks are so highly pressurised that it's common to see small bits of dry ice come out of the nozzle. These extinguishers don't work well on Class A fires, and may or may not be able to put them out.
Both dry chemical and carbon dioxide extinguishers have benefits over each other. Dry chemical extinguishers leave a non-flammable substance, decreasing the likelihood of a fire reigniting. However, carbon dioxide extinguishers help prevent extra damage to electronics. The residue left by dry chemical extinguishers can cause corrosion, where as carbon dioxide extinguishers don't.
There are plenty of different choices when it comes to fire extinguishers. Each having it's ups and downs. Deciding which one is correct for a household depends on each home. Depending on what items of a home are most important to the owner, each extinguisher will have a higher priority. Having a different type of extinguisher in certain parts of the home is also an option. Decide on what is most important to you specifically, and pick a fire extinguisher that fits your needs.
The four categories that extinguishers are placed into are Class A, Class B, Class C, and Class D. Class A extinguishers are for ordinary materials like paper, plastics, and wood. Class B fires are ones that involve flammable liquids. Such liquids would be gasoline, kerosene or oil. Class C fires are electrical related fires. Using water to put these types of fires out can be dangerous, as the risk of electrocution is possible. Class D fires are chemical fires, caused by combustible metals. Class D fires are generally found at chemical labs, and shouldn't be a concern to the average home.
Certain fire extinguishers are made to put out each category. Water extinguishers, dry chemical extinguishers, and carbon dioxide extinguishers are three of the most commonly found in households. Water extinguishers are only useful for a Class A fire. Usually they work using air pressure to spray the water inside the tank. Using them on electric fires, grease fires, or any Class D fires will cause the fire to spread and grow. It can be incredibly dangerous to use them on anything other than a Class A type fire.
Dry chemical extinguishers are another common household extinguisher. They are sometimes referred to as powder fire extinguishers or foam fire extinguishers. These work by using powders or foams and pressurizing the tank using nitrogen. These can be used to put out Class A, B and C fires. When used, these extinguishers can leave behind a corrosive residue. So after insuring that everything is safe, cleaning the extinguishing foam off will prevent any extra corrosion of materials.
Carbon dioxide extinguishers, or CO2 extinguishers, are used to put out Class B and C fires. These work by using very highly pressurised CO2 filled tanks. The tanks are so highly pressurised that it's common to see small bits of dry ice come out of the nozzle. These extinguishers don't work well on Class A fires, and may or may not be able to put them out.
Both dry chemical and carbon dioxide extinguishers have benefits over each other. Dry chemical extinguishers leave a non-flammable substance, decreasing the likelihood of a fire reigniting. However, carbon dioxide extinguishers help prevent extra damage to electronics. The residue left by dry chemical extinguishers can cause corrosion, where as carbon dioxide extinguishers don't.
There are plenty of different choices when it comes to fire extinguishers. Each having it's ups and downs. Deciding which one is correct for a household depends on each home. Depending on what items of a home are most important to the owner, each extinguisher will have a higher priority. Having a different type of extinguisher in certain parts of the home is also an option. Decide on what is most important to you specifically, and pick a fire extinguisher that fits your needs.
Related Tags: business, safety, office, reference, fire extinguisher
Your Article Search Directory : Find in Articles
Recent articles in this category:
- Solar Power - A Sustainable Source Of Energy
Since time began, the sun was seen as a source of energy. Suprisingly only about 10% of solar energy - Why Leopards Are Becoming Extinct
On the flooded marshlands of Mombo in the heart of the Okavango Delta, Botswana, there are fertile f - The Different Kinds Of Bats
Most bats are found in warm places. Some are very strange: there are brightly colored, even spotted, - How Bats Find Their Way In The Dark
People have always been puzzled by how bats see small insects in the dark, and how they avoid bumpin - How Bats Live
Bats live together in caves or other dark places during the day. Just before dark, or before the sun - At Home With Mr. Burroughs
Youth still peered out at me in spite of his crowning thatch of silvery hair when I first met John B - Gas Fired Boiler Care Evaluation
Get Central Heating Cover And UnwindWhilst advanced heating boilers are reliable, at some point in t - Environment Articles - India's strength and investments in Nuclear Energy Markets
Indian Nuclear Energy Markets Indian Nuclear Energy Market: An investment opportunity of US$55 - Environment Articles - Wind Energy is the fastest growing renewable energy sector in India
Wind Energy Markets in India India is likely to generate almost five times more wind energy cap - Environment Articles - Ideas On Reusable Kids Lunch Boxes
If your kids are now in school, lunch boxes are what you need. Packing their lunch assures mothers a
Most viewed articles in this category:
- The Demand for Water and Water Privatisation
On TV recently you have Indian villagers complaining that coca cola had built a bottling plant in th - Solar Powered Lights
All of our energy comes from the sun. Solar powered lights offer a low cost and do not pollute the e - About Ethanol Distillation
Through the years, people have been used to oil price hikes, such that even when prices rise to a se - Simple Mold Removal Wihtout Cleaning Mold
Are you fighting with black mold and it keeps coming back? Use the correct methods for mold cleaning - The Business of Saving the Planet
On a sweltering day during the summer, I called my business partner Michael to ask why he thought it - Global E-Waste Dumping - How Does It Occur?
When people "donate" or "recycle" electronics and computers, they do so with good intentions, and th - Earth Friendly Composting
Earth Friendly Composting Municipalities throughout the United States require residents and busines - A Unique Overview of Yellowstone National Park
When it comes to national parks, it is hard to imagine a more famous one than Yellowstone National P - Save the Planet Article 2
This is the second article in a series that examines common house-hold products, how their manufactu - Air Testing In The Uk Building Trade
Part L Building Regulations 2000, which came into effect on 6th April 2006, is one part of the Gover