How to Choose the Right Class of Fire Extinguisher
Anyone seeking the best in fire safety equipment has an array of options to choose from. From kitchen fire suppression systems, to dry chemical systems, to the everyday fire extinguisher we stash in our kitchen cabinet—every piece of fire safety equipment is designed for a specific application, with a distinct fire suppression agent. Customers seeking a fire extinguisher for their home or office should first educate themselves on the different classes of fire extinguishers, and their specified features, benefits, and intended uses. Getz Fire is a dedicated supplier of fire safety equipment in Illinois and Iowa, offering every class of fire extinguisher, along with professional fire extinguisher training services. To help you familiarize yourself and have a handy reference when selecting a fire extinguisher, we have broken down every class of fire extinguisher below:
Class A: Intended for conventional fires burning wood, paper, plastic, or textiles. This extinguisher can work for a great number of applications but lacks suppression ability for special hazard fires. This class of fire extinguisher is commonly utilized for suppressing small fires in the home or office.
Class B: Built for liquid fires, these extinguishers suppress fires fueled by oil, alcohol, or gasoline. This presents its own set of unique challenges, as water-based fire suppressants have higher densities than the oil or gas, along with an inability to mix, causing splatter and spreading the flames. Class B extinguishers use a special chemical suppressant formulated for oil and gas fires. You will most likely find these extinguishers at mechanic garages, industrial warehouses, or manufacturing plants using flammable liquids.
Class C: Formulated with nonconductive suppressant chemicals like sodium bicarbonate or monoammonium phosphate, a Class C fire extinguisher is intended for use in applications with live electricity. Apply the improper suppression agent on a live electrical fire, and you could cause further sparks, or even electrocute yourself. These extinguishers are often seen in large electronics applications, and around computerized manufacturing equipment.
Class D: Intended for use with extremely hot fires started on combustible metals like titanium and sodium, class D fire extinguishers are often seen in scientific research labs, and some industrial processing or manufacturing settings. It is vital you use the correct class of extinguisher on a metal fire, as some chemical agents can react and increase the severity.
Class K: Think “K” for “kitchen”! Class K fire extinguishers are intended for liquid and solid fires that are started via cooking media, oils, greases, and fats. Since these kitchen hazards can ignite easily with any nearby fire, it is vital you have the proper Class K fire extinguisher in any kitchen, whether it is in a commercial restaurant or just in your home.
Properly trained fire extinguisher operators can stop small fires in their tracks, and prevent some large fires from ever occurring. Getz Fire provides the quality brands and service to make fire safety simple for your home or business. Having various sizes and classes of fire extinguishers available, we can also train you on how to use the fire extinguisher on the specific fire hazard it was designed for. Stay safe and prepared with a fire extinguisher from Getz Fire. Call us today at 800-747-3473, or check out our website to browse our impressive inventory.
