What are the Different Types of Fire Extinguishers?

Fire extinguishers are the first-line defense against fire emergencies, but you need to know that there are several different types of fire extinguishers, and each one of them works best with different classes of fire.

The different classes of fires are actually based on the fuels that start the fire. And the portable handheld fire extinguishers are basically made in accordance with the fuels so that they can kill the fire and wipe it out of existence.

In this article, we will discuss about different classes of fire and the different types of fire extinguishers that can be used with them:

Classes of Fires

In general, there are six different classes of fire, which are,

Class A Fires

Class A fires are the most common fires and are caused by simple combustible materials like wood, paper, textile, and plastic. You can encounter these fires in both homes and office settings.

Class B Fires

Class B Fires consist of flammable liquids like petrol, gasoline, spirits, paints, and other combustible liquids. This class of fire is generally seen in industries and factory settings.

Class C Fires

Class C fires consist of fires that are caused by combustible gasses like butane and propane.

Class D Fires

Class D fires comprise combustible metals such as lithium, magnesium, and potassium.

Electrical Fires

This class of fire consists of electrical equipment fires such as photocopy machines and computers. If you remove the electrical equipment fire changes and can be contained by using any fire extinguisher.

Class F Fires

Class F fires are the fires that are caused by vegetable and animal fat. Fires caused by olive oil and butter also come under this class of fire. These fires are mostly encountered in home and restaurant kitchens.

Types of Fire Extinguishers

We have discussed the classes of fires, and we fully understand now which environment is at risk of which kind of fire emergency.

No, we will talk about the types of fire extinguishers and their usage for different classes of fire so that it is easy to know which handheld fire extinguisher you should buy for your building.

Water Extinguishers

Water fire extinguishers are the most common and widely used fire extinguishers. They are used for class A fires and are very popular in the industry as they extinguish a fire quickly.

They are commonly labeled bright red, so if you see a bright red fire extinguisher on your premises you must know that it is a water fire extinguisher.

Water extinguishers go very well with the class A fires and should be avoided in cases of kitchen fires, flammable liquid fires, and electrical fires at all costs.

Foam Extinguishers

Foam extinguishers are versatile fire extinguishers as they go really well with the class B as well as class A fires.

They are labeled cream and are the best option when it comes to organic fires caused by combustible liquids like petrol, spirits, paints, etc.

Foam extinguishers should NOT be used for fires caused by flammable metals, kitchens, and electrical equipment as they are water-based fire extinguishers.

Dry Powder Extinguishers

Dry powder extinguishers are another versatile type of fire extinguishers as they are the best option for class A, B, and C fires.

They are labeled blue and can be safely used for electrical fires that are up to 1000V. When it comes to its performance the extinguisher, extinguishes fire quickly and can be used in a wide range of settings.

One major drawback of dry powder fire extinguishers is that the powder can be inhaled very easily and caused serious health problems in people who inhale it. So, they must NOT be used in enclosed spaces and kitchen settings.

Carbon Dioxide Extinguishers

Carbon dioxide extinguishers are the best option when it comes to electrical fires, and no one can do the job better.

Carbon dioxide fire extinguishers are a part of computer rooms and server rooms, as they contain the emergency really well.

These fire extinguishers are labeled black and can be used for flammable liquid fires a well, but they are not a suitable option when it comes to flammable metals and kitchen fires.

Wet Chemical Extinguishers

Wet chemical extinguishers are the best when it comes to class F fires. These fire extinguishers are labeled yellow and are the best choice for kitchen fires that include fires caused by vegetable and animal fat.

Wet chemical fire extinguishers can be used for class A fires however, they are not a good choice when it comes to flammable liquids, flammable metals, and electrical fires.

These were the different types of fire extinguishers that are available in the market. We hope that choosing the right fire extinguisher would be very easy for you now that you know the different classes of fires and the fire extinguishers that can be used for those particular classes.