Four elements must be present in order for a fire to exist: oxygen, heat, fuel and a chemical reaction to create the fire. Once one of these elements has been eliminated, the fire will go out. Fire extinguishers are the best means of battling a fire by stopping the chemical reaction. Five fire classes, ranging from ordinary wood or paper to combustible metals dictate the type of extinguisher required to battle them.

It is important to choose the right kind of fire extinguisher. Depending on the type of fire you're fighting, your extinguisher could not only be ineffective but it may even feed the fire if the wrong extinguisher is used. Knowing the types of fires and their classes will help you decide which fire extinguisher is best for your purposes. Fire extinguishers are categorized as to which class of fire they are suited to. This makes it easier to make a choice once you determine what class of fire is likely to start in the room you want to protect.

The first thing to consider when buying a fire extinguisher is the room in which it will be used. If you plan to use it in the kitchen, you want an extinguisher designed for kitchen fires, mainly grease fires. A water based extinguisher will not work on these types of fires, but a dry chemical one would. If the room you want to protect contains delicate items, consider a CO2 extinguisher. It is effective without leaving harmful residue. Ultimately, when making your choice you need to determine what material you want to protect as well as the type of extinguishing agent best for battling fires caused by these materials.

The three main classes of fires are A, C and D; ordinary wood or paper, electrical and chemical, respectively. The fires you combat will most likely come from these classes. In most cases a dry chemical extinguisher will work on any of these types of fires. They are foam filled and pressurized with nitrogen. Water extinguishers are only suitable for class A fires and can cause death if used incorrectly. It is safest to keep a chemical based extinguisher on hand.

The types of fires and the respective extinguishers mentioned above are only the tip of the iceberg. There are many others to choose from depending on the fire you might potentially find yourself fighting. Your selection should always be based upon the fire classification, the compatibility of the extinguisher and the items you are protecting.

West Pacific Fire Protection provide fire extinguisher service and inspection for residential and commercial buildings in San Francisco Bay area.