Types of Fire Extinguishers in Singapore

Fire extinguishers are critical fire protection systems that are recommended for all residential, commercial and industrial buildings. Having them in your living and work spaces can make a great difference whenever fire emergencies occur.  Apart from saving lives, fire extinguishers can also enable you to significantly reduce the destruction to your property during fires. With efficient fire extinguishers, you can easily and safely put out small fires even before the arrival of fire rescue services.

Fire extinguishers serve a wide range of applications when it comes to fire safety. Depending on the potential fire threats or classes of fires likely to be experienced on your building, there are various kinds of fire extinguishers to choose from.

Main types of fire extinguishers

ABC Dry Powder Fire Extinguishers

The fire suppression agent in these fire extinguishers is a specialised chemical dry powder, which is designed for putting out Class A, B and C fires. The agent is stored in pressurized cylinders with nozzles to discharge it to the fire upon release. The fire extinguisher can extinguish fires caused by flammable solids, liquids and gas.

CO2 Fire extinguishers

As the name suggests, these fire extinguishers contain pressurized carbon dioxide gas used to put out electrical fires. It can also work on putting out combustible liquids and gases. The key property of this fire suppression agent is that it rapidly sucks out oxygen from flames, thereby stopping the fires quickly and safely.

Wet Chemical Fire Extinguisher

Wet chemical fire extinguishers are specifically made for fighting Class F fires that result from cooking oils, fat and grease commonly found in kitchens and restaurants. The extinguishers can also be effective on Class A fires resulting from burning clothes and paper materials. The fire suppression agent in the cylinder fights the flames by eliminating the heat element, cooling the oils and creating a soapy solution that seals off the surfaces. The not only stops the fires but, also prevent them from re-ignition.

Class D Fire Extinguishers

These are not very common since they are mainly used in industrial premises to stop fires caused by flammable metals. The fire suppression agent in the cylinders comprise of sand, metals or both, which is effective in extinguishing metals on fire.

Foam Fire Extinguishers

These fire extinguishers are filled up with foam as the fire suppression agent. Fire fighting foam is designed for Class A and B fires resulting from flammable liquids and gases. The agent works by removing oxygen from the chemical reaction, hence, stopping the flames. Foam fire extinguishers are usually very messy on electrical fires and should never be used in such situations. Besides, the chemical composition of the foam can also cause damage to your electrical systems.

Water-Based Fire Extinguishers

These are fire extinguishers that use pressurized water as the primary fire suppression agent. Water-based fire extinguishers are made for putting out Class fires that result from flammable solids like clothes, paper materials, wood and plastics. Water mainly works by eliminating the heat element from the flames, which cools off the burning materials and stops the fire.

Choosing Types of Fire Extinguishers

In Singapore, there are strict fire safety regulations that stipulate the types of fire extinguishers that should be installed in residential, commercial and industrial premises. However, you should not just buy a fire extinguisher for compliance reasons. The safety of the people living or working on your building should always come first. And, fire extinguishers are among the best ways to ensure that the occupants of your premises are accorded better protection from fire emergencies.

Fire Safety Singapore offers a huge selection of all the types of fire extinguishers discussed above. Based on the potential fire risks on your premises and your budget, we can help you choose the most suitable fire extinguishers for better fire safety. We work with leading brands, offering high quality and industry-standard portable fire extinguishers for all living and work spaces. Our company can deliver the right fire extinguishers to your site on short notice and, also do the testing.

Talk to Fire Safety Singapore today for the best portable fire extinguishers Singapore. We also provide custom QP consultancy services, maintenance and repair of fire protection systems.