Do you have a water fire extinguisher and you’re not sure what it should be used for? Maybe you have been told you need a water fire extinguisher, but you’re not sure why? In this blog post we look at the uses of a water fire extinguisher. We also look at the types of fire it should and shouldn’t be used on.
In short, water fire extinguishers should be used for class A fires – but what does that mean?
Standard water fire extinguishers can only be used on fires that involve flammable solids. This means that they are useful for most buildings including warehouses and storage facilities. The fire extinguisher should be directed at the flames. The water then has an extreme cooling effect which lowers the temperature of the materials that are on fire. In turn, it is then impossible for the fire to burn.
You will know if you have a water fire extinguisher because it will have a white coloured label on it. This label will clearly state ‘water’. In addition to this, there will be a nearby extinguisher ID sign fixed to the wall. This will state ‘water extinguisher’.
You will find that water fire extinguishers are very common for places that have a large number of combustible materials. This is why you will often see this type of fire extinguisher in warehouses and storage units as well as paper mills and textile factories for example. You will find that this type of fire extinguisher is helpful in domestic environments too. It will often be found alongside co2 extinguishers.
There are cases when a water fire extinguisher cannot be used. For example, if this type of fire extinguisher was used on an electrical fire it could lead to an electrocution. Cooking fires, known a Class F fires, can also not be tackled with this type of fire extinguisher. Fires that involve flammable gasses such as methane and butane must also not be tacked with a fire extinguisher of this type. The same goes for Class B fires, which are fires involving flammable liquids such as petrol or paint for example.
If you’re not sure of the right fire extinguisher for your home or business, call our team. We will happily visit your property to gain an understanding of the fire risks in your home or business. Based on this visit and our findings, we can then recommend the right fire extinguisher for you.
