Written on
09/02/2014
Have you ever dumped water on a kitchen fire only to see the flames grow even larger? This is because water actually causes flames from oil, fat, and grease to spread and grow. Since all fires are not created equally, there are a variety of extinguishers that are effective against different types of fire. So, how do you know which type of fire extinguisher you should use in the case of a fire? Many people don't realize that each fire extinguisher has a class which indicates the type of fire it's intended for. Here is a breakdown of each class and which type of fire it's effective against:
Class A
Class A extinguishers are effective against ordinary combustible materials such as cloth, wood, rubber, paper, and plastics.
Class B
Fires involving flammable liquids, such as grease, gasoline, oil, and oil-based paints should be combated using a Class B extinguisher.
Class C
Class C extinguishers are designed to be used on appliances, tools, and other equipment that is electrically energized or plugged in.
Class D
Class D extinguishers are designed for use on flammable metals. There are different types of Class D extinguishers that are specific to certain types of metals. These are usually only found in factories or other places where these types of metals are used.
Class K
These fire extinguishers are intended for use on fires that involve vegetable oils, animal oils, or fats. They are usually found in commercial kitchens, such as restaurants and cafeterias, although they are becoming more common in residential kitchens.
If you're not looking forward to stocking up on four or five different fire extinguishers in order to cover all your bases, don't worry! Most fire extinguishers fit into multiple classes. For example, it's common to see a fire extinguisher labeled as Class A:B, meaning it is effective against combustible material, as well as flammable liquids.
It's important to know which type of fire extinguisher to use in any given situation, but it's just as important to ensure that your fire extinguishers are properly maintained and easily accessible. You should also have an alarm system that is regularly inspected in order to detect fires before it's too late for your extinguisher to be effective.
Fire Extinguisher Sales and Service has been the leading provider of fire prevention and extinguishing equipment in Metro Detroit. Services include maintenance, installation, and inspection of a wide range of fire detection and extinguishing equipment for commercial, industrial, and residential properties. Contact Fire Extinguisher Sales and Service today for your customized fire prevention solution!
What Is the Best Fire Alarm System For My Business?
Fire safety is of the utmost importance in the workplace. Quickly knowing a fire is present in the building is vital to ensuring the health and safety of everyone in your office. Choosing a suitable fire alarm system can be...
Why Your Business Needs A Fire Safety Plan
A fire safety plan can be defined a formal document that contains details of the procedures that should be followed in case there is a fire. Ideally, the fire safety plan should suit the resources of a given building. A fire safety plan does not...
Do Fire Extinguishers Expire?
A fire extinguisher is one of the most important safety devices any home can have. Nevertheless, the average person seems to have no clue about how and when they need to be serviced. That said, the following is a closer look at the shelf life of...
What Type Of Fire Sprinkler System Is Right For Me?
All residential and commercial buildings should have measures of protection in place against smoke and fire. One example of an excellent preventative measure is installing a fire sprinkler system. However, many people struggle to choose a fire...
How Often Should You Check Your Fire Alarm System?
To avoid hazardous accidents caused due to fire, your home alarm system should work fine. The key is to check the fire alarm system as per the expert recommendation to keep it functioning properly and to see if there is a need of a battery...
Why is it Important to Perform Regular Fire Drills?
Never underestimate the importance of performing regular fire drills in the home, workplace, or school. Always remember that when a real fire happens, the time to react can be measured in seconds! Performing regular fire drills are essential for...
The 4 Most Common Types of Fire
While a fire can start anywhere at any time, below is a list of the top four most common causes of fires. This information may even help you to prevent starting a fire.
1. In the United States, the most common type of fire starts in the...
Fire Safety: Five Steps to a Safer Home
Thousands of fires occur every year and sometimes they are fatal. Fires are serious whether they are major or minor. When a fire occurs, a lot of damage can take place. Read on for five simple safety tips you can follow to keep you,...
How to Extinguish a Kitchen Grease Fire
Before the Fire Starts
Preventing a grease fire is far more easy than starting one. If you are cooking with grease or oil, always maintain supervision of the liquid. Watch for warning signs like a change in smell or visible smoke vapors; Turn...
Why Do Some Fires Require Specific Extinguishers?
Despite the vast improvements in fire safety codes and procedures in recent decades, fires still manage to devastate homes and businesses on a regular basis. Fires cause millions of dollars of property damage and cost thousands of lives every...
Does Your Office Have a Fire Safety Plan in Place?
When you’re working in the fast-paced atmosphere of a modern office, it’s easy to let something like fire safety slip through the cracks. After all, why would you waste time thinking about something that has such a small likelihood...
Why Is an Automatic Fire Suppression System the Safest Choice for Large Buildings?
Owners of large, commercial buildings have many concerns related to general and preventative maintenance, rent, insurance, and more. One of the biggest causes of concern for owners of large buildings is possible fire damage. Without adequate...
Fire Safety Basics for Your Residential Building
Owners of residential buildings need to take several precautionary steps in order to ensure the safety of the residents, especially when it comes to fire safety. Fires can start quickly, and for that reason, it is important to have a...
How Long Will a Fire Extinguisher Last When in Use?
Red and ready, or past its prime? Most of us buy a fire extinguisher with the best intentions—to be prepared for the unthinkable. But then, life gets busy, and that red canister tucked away in the corner fades away from our minds. We hope...
What Are the Best Commercial Fire Extinguisher Systems?
If you own a business, you should take the time to examine your fire prevention plans and policies that you have in place. If you do not have a commercial fire extinguisher system, or if your system is outdated, it may be time to consider buying...
The Importance of Fire Safety Training in an Office
It is very important to have health and safety take priority in the workplace. Most deaths and injuries from fires are the result of people not knowing the proper fire safety and exit strategies to follow. It is up to every employer to...
What Is an Automatic Fire Suppression System?
An automatic fire suppression system can not only control a fire in a building, but it can also extinguish fires well before the fire department can arrive on scene. It does this without the need for any human intervention. Automatic fire...
Fire Safety Tips for Your Office
According to the National Fire Prevention Association (NFPA), there are approximately 3,350 office fires per year in the United States. The 3,350 annual office fires result in approximately 112 million in property damage to business...
How to Extinguish an Electrical Fire
Electrical fires can happen very quickly, but at times, there are some warning signs that should be heeded. Electrical fires can happen as a result of faulty wiring and by overloading circuits. Electrical fires can also happen as a...
How Does a Water Fire Extinguisher Work?
A fire extinguisher is something that we see all the time. They’re prominently displayed in every public building, as well as most houses and apartments. In fact, we’re so used to seeing them that we don’t usually notice when one is in the...
How to Pass Your Annual Fire Inspection
All commercial property owners are required to undergo an annual fire safety inspection in order to assess and diminish the potential for life threatening hazards in buildings.
The best way to ensure that you pass your inspection from...
How Do Fire Sprinklers Work?
Whether you pay close attention or not, you’ve probably seen fire sprinklers in most of the commercial buildings you’ve entered. Mounted on the ceiling, they are designed to drench an area with water to put off a fire before it spreads....
Restaurant Fire Safety Basics
Restaurants present a considerable fire risk, with open flames, hot equipment, electrical appliances, and oil all coming together in a small, hectic environment. Fire can be devastating to a business, leading to lost revenue, permanent damage...
How Does a Fire Alarm System Work?
A well functioning fire alarm system is essential to the safety of your family, employees, or tenants. Having well-functioning fire alarm system and fire protection equipment is not only common sense—it’s a legal requirement in...
The Importance of Fire Extinguisher Maintenance
You probably don’t think much about your fire extinguisher until you really need it — and that’s the worst time to discover that it no longer functions. In most commercial and public facilities, the law requires that you have yearly...
Is Your Kitchen Fire Suppression Inspection Up to Code?
When receiving an inspection of your kitchen fire suppression system, there are a few things you should know to ensure the safety of your property, employees and yourself. The following questions can assist restaurant owners in assessing the...
Welcome to Our New Website!
We've added great new features and updated our content to bring you the most up to date information about our company. Check back often for updates.