Blaze Buster: Fire Extinguisher Basics

6/30/2017 (Permalink)

Blaze Buster: Fire Extinguisher Basics

Fire extinguishers save lives and property by eliminating fires just before they grow too big. It is therefore important to understand how fire extinguishers work to be able to use them effectively. A working knowledge of fire extinguishers and how they are used will come in handy in the event of a fire in your home, office, or property.

Basically, fire extinguishers work in getting rid of fires by either snuffing out the oxygen that is responsible for combustion, cooling the temperature of the fuel feeding the fire, or halting the chemical reaction behind the fire itself. Fire extinguishers use water, a dry chemical, or carbon dioxide as agents in order to stop the progress of fire.

Fire Extinguisher Ratings

Your fire extinguisher will come in the following ratings:

A

A fire extinguisher with the A rating uses compressed water as its agent and is effective against basic fuels like paper, wood, and carton.

B

B rated fire extinguishers are good against fires that are fueled by gas, oil, lacquers, solvents or kerosene and use carbon dioxide as agents.

C

Fire extinguishers with the C rating use dry chemicals that do not conduct electricity. This is why such fire extinguishers are primarily used to combat fires coming from electronics like computers and appliances.

ABC

These fire extinguishers are good against the first three kinds of fires.

D

Fire extinguishers with D ratings are used for fires that are sparked by powders or metals. These are commonly found in workshops and laboratories where such fires may occur.

K

Homeowners can use K rated fire extinguishers in order to beat fires from oils and fats. Fires fuelled by these items have a tendency to grow larger if someone douses them with water.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) advises homeowners and property owners to place fire extinguishers on each level of the home. Fire extinguishers with the A rating would be good for this while a fire extinguisher with the K rating is ideal for the kitchen.

Buyers should only go for those units with the proper Underwriters Laboratory (UL) seal when purchasing fire extinguishers.

We hope that this article has taught you an important feature of fire extinguishers. In case you encounter incidents of fire damage and even water damage, bio-hazard, and mold, please do not hesitate to seek the help of SERVPRO of Oldham/Shelby. You can contact us by calling 502.241.6861 or by emailing us through one of the contact forms in our pages. SERVPRO of Oldham/Shelby will help you recover from any disaster.