Factors to Consider Before Installing Fire Extinguisher

When it’s come to purchase portable fire extinguishers for your business, the different numbers and letters on the label might confuse you. To ensure that you buy a right application, you have many factors to consider, including where to install each canister, type you need, classes, size and much more.

Including all these factors to choose and install right fire extinguisher, you also need to consider fire extinguisher capacity. Here is a concise guide to help you chose the right fire extinguisher.

Classes of Fire Extinguishers

Fire extinguishers are designed to put out fires. They come with different classes as to stifle fires caused due to different types of fuel. There are four different classes of fire extinguishers.  The fire risk from the different classes of fire in your business premises will determine which fire extinguisher types you need.

Class A: Fire extinguishers of class A are used to stifle fires involving cloth, rubber/paper or wood.

Class B: These extinguishers are used to stifle fires involving methanol, toluene, xylene, diesel, and petrol.

Class C: These fire extinguishers blow out the fires involving LPG, CNG, Acetylene.

Class D: These fire extinguishers are used to blow out the fires involving combustible metals.

Fire Extinguisher Size Ratings

Portable fire extinguishers are rated for the size of fire they can put out. The numbers on the fire extinguisher indicate the size rating on the label. Here’s how it works.

Class A: For class A, this number ranges from 1 to 40. Each number represents 1 ¼ gallons of water.

Class B: For this, the rating is from 1 to 640. Its size rating indicates the square footage the extinguisher can cover.

Class C: There is no rating for this. To fight class C fires, either use extinguisher based on Class A or Class B.

Class D: There is no rating for class D fire extinguishers.

Consider Room Size

The rooms where fire has more space to spread like warehouse or commercial spaces, 10-lb fire extinguisher model is necessary. However, for the room with average dimension, 5-lb firefighting system is sufficient.

Get help to choose right fire extinguisher

Get help from the experts to purchase the right fire extinguisher for your workplace. There are many fire safety product sellers, institutes, trainers available that could help you in selecting the right fire fighting equipment.

For help and more information you can contact us at 561-237-4247 or visit https://www.sos-safety.com/