The Main Fire Extinguisher Types in Longview, TX

Because fire extinguishers come in a variety of sizes, it’s fairly easy to find one that fits your needs. For instance, while a standard-size fire extinguisher is easy enough to store in a big business building, you might want a slimmer, easier-to-store fire extinguisher for home safety. It’s smart to keep an fire extinguisher in your home or business, but you need to make sure you have the right type of fire extinguisher on hand. Different fire extinguishers are designed differently to put out common fires in household or business settings.

There are eight main fire extinguisher types in Longview, TX—water, water mist, water spray, carbon dioxide, wet chemical, foam, dry powder (standard) and dry powder (specialist)—which are classified as follows:

• Class A (combustible materials): Defined as ordinary combustibles, Class A fires draw from common flammable materials, including wood, trash, paper and plastics. As such, these extinguishers put out fires caused by ordinary combustibles. In homes and businesses, these types of fires are the most common accidental fires encountered.
• Class B (flammable liquids): These types of fire extinguishers are used to put out flammable liquid fires. Common liquid based fuel sources include kerosene, oil, grease, petroleum-based paints and gasoline, as well as butane and propane. What about cooking fires, you might ask? Read on, as cooking fires are in their own category, Class K.
• Class C (electrical): These types of fires are commonly caused by electrical components or energized equipment. Class C fires can be fueled by appliances, motors and electrical transformers. Electrical fires can grow to be big or stay small, depending on where the fire starts and how it’s fueled. Use a Class C fire extinguisher only on electrically energized fires.
• Class D: (combustible/flammable metals): Class D extinguishers are designed to extinguish fires involving flammable metals. It uses combustible metals as fuel, such as magnesium, aluminum, titanium and potassium. This class of fire is often a danger in laboratories and other industrial settings. Class D extinguishers use a dry powder agent, which absorbs the heat from the fire and smothers it.
• Class K (combustible liquids used in food prep): These fires are technically a type of liquid fire that is fueled in kitchen settings. Liquid cooking materials include grease, vegetable fat, animal fat and cooking oils. Keep Class K fire extinguishers in home and business kitchens.

Choosing a fire extinguisher

The first thing you need to consider before purchasing fire extinguishers is which rooms in your home or business that can benefit from having them around. For safety’s sake, you should keep a minimum of one extinguisher on each level of the building. Also, keep one in areas where fires are more likely to start, such as in kitchens, garages, laboratories and workshops.

Here at Anchor Safety Inc., our team can help you choose from a selection of fire extinguisher types in Longview, TX that best suit your needs. We are also trained to inspect fire extinguishers. Call us today to schedule a consultation!

Categorised in: Fire Extinguishers

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