Fire Extinguisher Types – Choosing the right type of fire extinguisher is very important to help you tackle a fire quickly and safely.
Some extinguishers are dangerous to use on certain types of fire and others may cause considerable damage to areas not affected by fire.
If you are unsure which type of extinguisher you need please feel free to contact us for advice.
General Use
Flammable Liquids
Gases
Metals
Electrical
Cooking Oils
Water
Foam
Dry Powder
Carbon Dioxide (CO2)
Class D Powder
Dry Powder Extinguisher
Wet Chemical
Fire Blanket
Fire Extinguisher Types
There are two main types of fire extinguishers: stored pressure and cartridge-operated. In stored pressure units, the expellant is stored in the same chamber as the firefighting agent itself. Depending on the agent used, different propellants are used. With dry chemical extinguishers, nitrogen is typically used; water and foam extinguishers typically use air. Stored pressure fire extinguishers are the most common type. Cartridge-operated extinguishers contain the expellant gas in a separate cartridge that is punctured prior to discharge, exposing the propellant to the extinguishing agent. This type is not as common, used primarily in areas such as industrial facilities, where they receive higher-than-average use. They have the advantage of simple and prompt recharge, allowing an operator to discharge the extinguisher, recharge it, and return to the fire in a reasonable amount of time. Unlike stored pressure types, these extinguishers use compressed carbon dioxide instead of nitrogen, although nitrogen cartridges are used on low temperature (-60 rated) models. Cartridge operated extinguishers are available in dry chemical and dry powder types in the U.S. and in water, wetting agent, foam, dry chemical (classes ABC and B.C.), and dry powder (class D) types in the rest of the world.