Extinguishers

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Fire Extinguishers: Sales and Service

From helping you determine which type of extinguisher you'll require, to providing you with all the units you need, to servicing those extinguishers on a regular basis, Mack's is your fire protection specialist. We're here to make sure you and your family or employees have the tools you need to safe in the event of a fire.

Types of fires determine the type of extinguisher you need

The first step in determining your extinguisher needs is to know what kind of fires there are. Fires are classified in the following categories:

Class A fires occur in ordinary combustible materials such as wood, cloth and paper. The most commonly used extinguishing agent is water which cools and quenches. Fires in these materials are also extinguished by special dry chemicals for use on class A, B & C fires. These provide a rapid knock down of flame and form a fire retardant coating which prevents reflash.

Class B fires occur in the vapor-air mixture over the surface of flammable liquids such as grease, gasoline and lubricating oils. A smothering or combustion inhibiting effect is necessary to extinguish Class B fires. Dry chemical, foam, vaporizing liquids, carbon dioxide and water fog all can be used as extinguishing agents depending on the circumstances of the fire. The numerical rating for Class B extinguishers indicates the approximate number of square feet of fire it can extinguish.

Class C fires occur in electrical equipment where non conducting extinguishing agents must be used. Dry chemical, carbon dioxide and vaporizing liquids are suitable. Never use water to extinguisher Class C fires! Because foam, water (except as a spray), wand water-type extinguishing agents conduct electricity, their use can kill or injure the person operating the extinguisher, and severe damage to electrical equipment can result.

Class K fires occur in cooking appliances that involve combustible cooking media (vegetable or animal oils and fats) UL test requires that the fire in the fryer be completely extinguished prohibiting the re-ignition of the vegetable oil for 20 minutes, or until the temperature decreases to at least 60° F (16°C) below the auto-ignition temperature, whichever is longer.

Class D fires occur in combustible metals such as magnesium, titanium, zirconium and sodium. Specialized techniques, extinguishing agents and extinguishing equipment have been developed to control and extinguish fires of this type. Normal extinguishing agents generally should not be used on metal fires as there is danger in most cases of increasing the intensity of the fire because of a chemical reaction between some extinguishing agents and the burning metal.

For more information, see our OSHA page.

What type of extinguisher is right for me?

It is vital to know what type of extinguisher you are using. Using the wrong type of extinguisher for the wrong type of fire can be
life-threatening.

ABC - This is the multipurpose dry chemical extinguisher. The ABC type is filled with monoammonium phosphate, a yellow powder that leaves a sticky residue that may be damaging to electrical appliances such as a computer

BC - This is the regular type of dry chemical extinguisher. It is filled with sodium bicarbonate or potassium bicarbonate. The BC variety leaves a mildly corrosive residue which must be cleaned immediately to prevent any damage to materials.

Carbon Dioxide (CO2) extinguishers are used for Class B and C fires. CO2 extinguishers contain carbon dioxide, a non-flammable gas, and are highly pressurized. The pressure is so great that it is not uncommon for bits of dry ice to shoot out the nozzle. They don't work very well on class A fires because they may not be able to displace enough oxygen to put the fire out, causing it to re-ignite. CO2 extinguishers have an advantage over dry chemical extinguishers since they don't leave a harmful residue - a good choice for an electrical fire on a computer or other favorite electronic device such as a stereo or TV.

Water extinguishers or APW extinguishers (air-pressurized water) are suitable for Class A fires only. Never use a water extinguisher on grease fires, electrical fires or Class D fires - the flames will spread and make the fire bigger! Water extinguishers are filled with water and pressurized with oxygen. Again - water extinguishers can be very dangerous in the wrong type of situation. Only fight the fire if you're certain it contains ordinary combustible materials only.

Class K--wet chemical extinguishers are the best restaurant kitchen appliance hand portable extinguisher available. The new extinguishers are tested and approved for Class K fires. They contain a potassium acetate based, low PH agent that was originally developed for use in pre-engineered cooking equipment fire extinguishing systems. The Class K extinguishers are tested on commercial deep fat fryers using the same type of fire test as UL300 pre-engineered restaurant fire extinguishing systems. The agent discharges as a fine mist which helps prevent grease splash and fire reflash while cooling the appliance. The Class K extinguisher is the ideal choice for use on all cooking appliances including solid fuel charbroilers.

Monthly Inspections

How often should I inspect my extinguisher?

Can I do it myself?

What is required?

All of these are very valid questions when determining what is the proper procedure to follow when maintaining the fire protection equipment at your business, home, school, or church. Both NFPA and OSHA have requirements that govern this. While extinguishers should be certified by a licensed technician annually, it is also required that the extinguisher have this basic check list followed each month:

fire extinguishers located in correct and designated areas
no obstruction to access or visibility
operating instructions on nameplate legible and facing outward
fullness determined by weighing or hefting
examined for obvious physical damage, corrosion, leaked, or clogged nozzles
pressure gauge reading in the operable range

While it is possible for someone at your location to do these things each month, Macks offers a monthly inspection program with the following benefits:

Service is provided by a professional, fire protection specialist rather than an untrained individual. This frees up your employee to perform more productive tasks that he/she is trained in.
Documentation provided each month
Any discrepancies such as repairs, recharges or replacing tamber seals can be dealt with immediatly
If any problems exist, we will report them to the appropriate person on site
Each unit is cleaned. Clean, updated extinguishersk indicate that your company is safety conscious and concerned with the upkeep of the fire protection equipment.

Our monthly program is designed to keep your company in compliance, as well as save you time and money. Please call us to see how you can get involved in this program.