Description
Wet Chemical Fire Extinguisher
Wet chemical fire extinguishers come in an all red cylinder with an running around the top.
When To Use A Wet Chemical Fire Extinguisher?
Wet chemical fire extinguishers are recommended to extinguish class A and class F fires.
Wet chemical fire extinguishers are highly recommended as a safety precaution within commercial kitchens where it is more common for a fire to ignite, involving cooking oils and fats.
They are the only type of fire extinguisher recommended to fight this type of fire.
Commercial kitchens are also recommended to have a foam extinguisher and a CO2 extinguisher on site as a precaution for all fire risks that could occur.
To learn more about the different types of fires and fire extinguishers, please refer to this detailed chart.
How Does A Wet Chemical Fire Extinguisher Work?
All fire extinguishers work by removing one or more of the 3 key elements that are required for a fire to flourish.
Wet chemical fire extinguishers are filled with potassium, which cools and lowers the temperature of the fire, therefore stopping the fire from spreading.
When the fire extinguisher is used, the potassium sprays out in a fine mist which then reacts with the fats and oils in the fire (class F fire). This creates a soapy layer on the surface which smothers, cools and extinguishes the fire.
It is advised that Wet chemical fire extinguishers, foam extinguishers and water extinguishers should never be used on fires that involve electrical appliances and equipment (class E fire.)
Advantages of Wet Chemical Fire Extinguishers
- Wet chemical fire extinguishers provide fast reduction in the event of a class F fire. By leaving a foam like barrier, it reduces the chances of the fire reigniting.
- The low pressure of the extinguisher eliminates the risk of the hot fats and oils being splashed around. This prevents injury from burns and reduces the chance of the fire spreading.
- Clean up after use is quick and easy.
Disadvantages of Wet Chemical Fire Extinguishers
- The solution inside a wet chemical fire extinguisher is alkaline, this means that it could corrode some metals, especially aluminium.
- Eyes and skin could become irritated when used so prompt clean up his highly recommended.
- A wet chemical fire extinguisher MUST NOT be used on electrical fires.
How To Use Wet Chemical Fire Extinguishers?
The working process of a wet chemical fire extinguisher involves 4 simple steps called the PASS technique.
This is a universal process for all fire extinguishers on the market.
The PASS technique is as follows…
- Pull the pin.
- Aim it at the fire.
- Squeeze the handle.
- Sweep from side to side.
See our detailed guide:
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