!: Fire Extinguishers - 3 Facts That Everybody Should Know About Them

To the general public, fire extinguishers are safety requirements. They just need to be there because the marshal said so. So even if most people see one every day, only a few tend to know their classifications, what they are for and how to use them.

Extinguishers should not be neglected like that. Why? Well simply because they can be your partners in fighting small flames that have the tendency to burn down your home, destroy your personal properties and take your life when neglected.

So if you now feel the need to get to know extinguishers better, here are some facts that you may need to know about them.

Fact #1: Not all extinguishers are the same.

Yes, almost all of them come in red canisters and they all have hoses and regulators but their similarity almost ends there. They have different compositions/ contents that make them suitable to fight different types of fire. To give you a better idea, here are the types of extinguishers based on their composition and use.

• Water Extinguishers
This type of extinguisher is only suited to be used in cases of fires caused by dry materials like paper and dry wood for example.

• Carbon Dioxide Extinguishers
CO2 extinguishers are perfect for electric blazess. They are preferred in office and home environments because they do not leave any residue and the gas itself is non - toxic.

• Foam Extinguishers
A foam fire extinguisher should be your primary choice if you are trying to put out flames caused by gasoline, oils (except flames caused by deep fryer fat), paints and even tar.

• Powder Extinguishers
A powder fire extinguisher stops flames by covering the source with powder to stop further combustion. One advantage of this extinguisher is its versatility. It can effectively control Classes A, B and C fires (blazes caused by common dry combustibles, caused by combustible liquid like kerosene and caused by gas respectively).

• Wet Chemical Extinguishers
Commonly used in commercial kitchens, wet chemical extinguishers are effective in putting out fires caused by cooking - oil and or deep fryer fat.

• Fire Blankets
Like wet chemical extinguishers, blankets are also mostly used in kitchens to stop blazes caused by cooking oil.
Fact #2: Just like any other important tool, an extinguisher need to be checked regularly to ensure that the extinguisher will work once the need for it arises.

Fact #3: In relation to Fact #2, checking and servicing of extinguishers can be categorized to three particular groups namely:

• Basic Service - usually done annually where the canisters are weighed, pressure is tested and signs and labels are checked for expiration and validity.

• Extended Service - applicable to wet chemical, foam, water and powder extinguishers. This service is done approximately after every 5 years to check for signs of internal corrosion.

• Overhaul - usually done on carbon dioxide extinguishers to check if the pressure inside the canister is enough for it to emit the gas in case of an actual emergency.