Fire acts very much like a living organism. It basically devours everything in front of it if it is not stopped. Perhaps you have seen or read about major forest fires that have destroyed hundreds and possibly of thousands of acres. Then you understand the concept that a fire is a monster that devours everything in its path unless it is contained. C02 extinguishers are a common way to kill a fire.
An out of control fire, any fire that is not being continued in a pit or fireplace, will act unpredictably. To stop this ravaging beast you need to cuts its oxygen supply. Fires live on oxygen like all other living things and can only be stopped by cutting off the oxygen it is getting.
Suffocating a fire involves removing the oxygen from the air it exists in. C02 extinguishers are intended to suffocate certain types of fires. C02 extinguishers contain carbon Dioxide; this gas is heavier than oxygen and takes it out of the air. By removing the oxygen the fire is living on these extinguishers suffocate the fire.
Fire falls into several classifications. These classifications are all grouped by letters. Class A fires are those that are made from standard combustible products such as paper or wood. Class B fires are the result of bringing flammable liquids such as gasoline. Class C fires are electrical fires. These are most often caused by faulty wiring that causes a spark. C02 extinguishers are used for class B and Class C fires.
Class A fires such as paper and wood can be put out by being smothered by water. Water will not suffocate Class B and Class C fires. In fact it will do just the opposite. It will fuel the fire. As the saying goes water and gasoline don’t mix and you should never put water on a gasoline fire. Many fires that burn in a home are Class B and Class C fires. For this reason it is important to always have a c02 extinguisher in your home.
The c02 inside of extinguishers is in a liquid form but when it mixes with air it transforms into a snow like substance that foams out of the extinguisher. This foam it what you see used most often to put out household fires that are caused by electricity or flammable gas.
To operate a cO2 extinguisher you will need to aim the extinguisher toward the fire then pull the plug in the handle. This plug is a safety device so the extinguisher will not go inadvertently. Once the pin has been pulled you need to squeeze the trigger (lever) to release the gas. You should point the extinguisher toward the bottom of the fire, and then spray in a side to side motion. As you put out the fire aim the extinguisher at the far edges of the fire and spray until the fire is completely put out.
Another use of a c02 extinguisher is chill beer. This is the fastest way to chill warm beer. Aim the extinguisher at the beer bottles inside of a bucket or cooler and let it rip. Naturally you will want to rinse the bottles off before opening them.
Jason Williams is an expert in fire alarms. If you would like further information about CO2 extinguishers or are searching for a reputable security company please visit http://www.adt.co.uk