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Why You Need The Right Kind Of Fire Extinguisher

by Michael_Goldberg

All families should keep a fire extinguisher in their home.
However, there are different kinds of fire extinguishers for
different kinds of fires. Having a basic understanding of fires
and fire extinguishers can help prevent damaging flames and can
even save lives.

Fires have four elements in order to exist. They must have
oxygen, heat, a chemical reaction and fuel. In order to
successfully extinguish a fire, one of these elements must be
taken away, that is, extinguished.

There are five different classes of fires. These fires are
lettered A, B, C, D and K. Each of these fires has a different
fuel. Class A fires comprise of ordinary combustibles, occurring
in wood, paper, plastic, trash or cloth. Class B fires are
comprised of flammable liquids and gases, which include gasoline,
paint, petroleum oil, propane, and butane (cooking oil and grease
are not included in class B). Class C is comprised of fires that
involve electrical equipment such as home appliances (often
kitchen related), motors, and transformers. Combustible metals
cause class D fires; that is, materials such as potassium,
magnesium, sodium and aluminum. Finally, class K fires occur due
to cooking oils and grease, including animal and vegetables
fats.

Next, there are six main kinds of fire extinguishers. Having a
basic understanding of each kind of extinguisher will help you
determine what kind you may need to purchase for the safety of
your family and home.

The first type of extinguisher uses water or foam. These
extinguishers take away the heat, and the foam extinguishers also
separate the oxygen. Water extinguishers can only be used on
class A fires; if they are used on other types they can actually
do more harm than good. Foam extinguishers can be used on classes
A and B only.

The next type of extinguisher is a carbon dioxide extinguisher.
It takes away the heat, as well as dispersing the oxygen. It is
recommended they be used on class B and C fires; they often prove
to be unsuccessful on class A fires.

The third type of fire extinguisher is one that utilizes dry
chemicals. They work by disrupting the chemical reaction of the
fire. This kind of extinguisher is popular because it has proven
to be effective on classes A, B, and C fires. Be sure to use a
multipurpose dry chemical extinguisher�a simple dry chemical
extinguisher will not work on class A fires.

Wet chemical fire extinguishers are effective on class K and
sometimes class A fires as well. They were originally invented to
aid in commercial kitchen or deep fat fryers, which often found
in fast food joints or restaurants.

Clean agent fire extinguishers have halon agents as well as
agents that are good for the environment. These extinguishers are
often used on class B and C fires, though large clean agent
extinguishers can be effective on class A fires as well.

Finally, dry powder extinguishers are often used only on class D
fires or combustible metal fires. These extinguishers remove the
heat in addition to separating fuel from the oxygen.

Having a basic understanding of the different kinds of fires and
the fire extinguishers that specifically eliminate them will aid
you in choosing the right kind of extinguisher for you. If you
have any questions about which kind to buy, feel free to contact
your local fire department (the non-emergency line!) and they
will be happy to assist you. Remember, the cost of purchasing a
fire extinguisher is well worth the peace of mind, not to mention
it could potentially save your house or workplace!

Visit <a href="http://www.firstfireextinguishers.com">First Fire
Extinguishers</a> for <a
href="http://www.firstfireextinguishers.com">fire safety</a>
news.

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