Though most people know that fire extinguishers are mandated for commercial buildings, they have few ideas on the types of fire extinguishers available and which one will suit them the best. Know that each type of fire extinguisher is created for a specific kind of fire and it can suit only a few give situations of fire. Here is what you must know about the types of fire extinguishers.
ABC Dry chemical
ABC Dry chemical fire extinguisher is meant for fires of A,B and C type. These extinguishers have a special powder that helps put down fires triggered by combustible solid objects, liquids and burning gases. They are also useful on electrical fires. Hence an ABC dry chemical fire extinguisher is an excellent choice for office settings. In this type of fire extinguisher, the discharge time can vary from 8 to 25 seconds. The maximum range they can reach is from 5 to 20 feet. The downside of this type of extinguisher is the dry chemical powder they have in them is corrosive and can make a mess. Hence it must be cleaned up at once after extinguishing the fire.
Class K Wet Chemical
Class K Wet Chemical extinguishers are used for extinguishing cooking fires. Hence they are a good option for the commercial kitchens and home kitchens. Their discharge time is typically 30 to 85 seconds. They can reach up to a maximum of 8 to 12 feet. Since gas fires cannot be extinguished with the ABC type of extinguisher, Class K extinguishers can suit these scenarios. Their foam forms a kind of blanket in order to avoid the reigniting of the fire.
Water Mist
In places that have sensitive equipment installed like a hospital or a healthcare facility, the best option is to go for pressurized water extinguishers. Hospital equipment are so expensive and their working is valuable. Hence it is never a good idea to use ABC type as they can lead to a corrosive action on the machinery. In these scenarios, water mist extinguisher is a great idea as it will help eliminate the fire safely without causing any damage to the equipment.
Carbon Dioxide
C02 extinguishers extinguish the fire by removing the oxygen and heat from a fire with the use of cold discharge. This type of extinguisher can work well in laboratories, but they can’t be useful to fires caused by metals. In addition, these fire extinguishers can’t be useful to extinguish the fires caused by metals. They can’t also be used on class B and class C fires. They must never be used inside an unventilated or small room. The discharge time in these extinguishers is between 8 and 30 seconds, with a maximum range of 3 and 8 feet.
Metal/Sand
Also called as D-type fire extinguishers, this Commercial Fire Extinguisher is best suited for class D fires, which are caused by metals like sodium, magnesium, or titanium. This type of extinguisher can work well in a laboratory setting. They deploy sodium chloride agent to restrict the fire, with a discharge time between 8 and 25 seconds reaching a maximum range of 3 to 6 feet.
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