A fire extinguisher is an absolute necessity in any home or office. While there's a good chance that the extinguisher will sit on the wall for years, collecting dust, it could end up saving your property and even your life. Having a fire extinguisher at home or at the office is a necessity as one does not know when there may be a raging fire that will endanger the lives of the people within the vicinity. Apart from knowing how exactly to use a fire extinguisher, one also needs to possess basic knowledge about type of fire extinguisher and its color markings. Fire extinguisher colors are basically small markings on the red body of a standard fire extinguisher that help distinguish their different types. There are many different kinds of fire extinguishers available in the market each having its own purpose. They contain varied constituents and are suitable for putting out only particular kinds of fires. For example, there is a different fire extinguisher for putting out fires caused due to short circuiting and different ones caused due to gas leakage. The components of each extinguisher are combined in such a way to be appropriate for certain kinds of fires only. The kind of fire extinguisher color that is being chosen depends mainly on the probability of a certain kind of fire in the area where one needs to install it. For example, at a factory with a lot of under wiring, there may be a risk for short circuits. On the other hand, at a chemical manufacturing unit, there may be risk of chemical based fires that require different components to fight the fire with. There are diverse fire extinguisher color codes for different nations and continents. There is no uniform fire extinguisher color guide that can be consulted by everyone across the globe. The colors of fire extinguishers are basically based on local areas. However, color coding standard is followed by most manufacturers to make it easier for the customers to identify what they need. Types of Extinguishers Water is the most familiar extinguishing material, and it is one of the most effective. But it can be dangerous in the wrong situation. A water extinguisher can put out things like burning wood, paper or cardboard, but it does not work well on electrical fires or fires involving inflammable liquids. In an electrical fire, the water may conduct the current, which can electrocute you. Water will only spread out an inflammable liquid, which will most likely make the fire worse. One popular extinguisher material is pure carbon dioxide. In a carbon dioxide extinguisher, the carbon dioxide is kept in pressurized liquid form in the cylinder. When the container is opened, the carbon dioxide expands to form a gas in the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide gas is heavier than oxygen, so it displaces the oxygen surrounding the burning fuel. This sort of fire extinguisher is common in restaurants because it won't contaminate the cooking equipment or food. The most popular extinguisher material is dry chemical foam or powder, typically made of sodium bicarbonate (normal baking soda), potassium bicarbonate (nearly identical to baking soda), or monoammonium phosphate. Baking soda starts to decompose at only 158 degrees Fahrenheit (70 degrees Celsius), and when it decomposes, it releases carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide, along with the insulation of the foam, works to smother the fire. Most fire extinguishers contain a fairly small amount of fire-suppressant material -- you can use it all up in a matter of seconds. For this reason, extinguishers are only effective on relatively small, contained fires. To put out a larger fire, you need much bigger equipment -- a fire engine, for example -- and the professionals who know how to use it. But for the dangerous flames that can pop up, a fire extinguisher is an invaluable lifesaver.
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