Water fire extinguishers

Water fire extinguishers – a simple guide for 2021

Water fire extinguishers are the original fire extinguisher and still one of the most used.

We explain all in our simple guide.

Summary:
Standard water fire extinguishers only work on fires involving flammable solids, but can be a good choice for some premises, such as warehouses and storage facilities.

Also known as:

  • 'Class A' fire extinguishers

Water fire extinguisher uses:

Fires involving flammable solids, such as paper, wood, and textiles (‘class A’ fires)

Do not use water fire extinguishers for:

  • Electrical fires – this would be highly dangerous and could result in electrocution
  • Fires involving flammable liquids, such as petrol and paint (‘class B’ fires)
  • Fires involving flammable gases, such as methane and butane (‘class C’ fires)
  • Cooking fires involving oil and grease, such as chip pan fires (‘class F’ fires)

How to identify a water fire extinguisher:

  • WHITE coloured label stating ‘Water’
  • Should be identified by an extinguisher ID sign fixed nearby – ‘Water Extinguisher’

Sizes of water fire extinguisher available:

  • 3 litre
  • 6 litre
  • 9 litre

How water extinguishers work:

Water has an extreme cooling effect.

When it is directed at flames, it lowers the overall temperature, making it impossible for the fire to burn.

Pros and Cons of water fire extinguishers:
Pros: highly cooling and so puts fires out rapidly; no negative environmental impact.

Cons: only works on one class of fire; dangerous if the water comes into contact with electrical equipment.

Who needs water fire extinguishers?:

Whilst water fire extinguishers are the ‘original’ extinguisher, these days it is quite common to recommend foam extinguishers instead, as foam extinguishers tackle both class A and class B fires.

However, environments which store large quantities of combustible materials may benefit from having water fire extinguishers. Examples include:

  • Warehouses
  • Storage units
  • Paper mills
  • Textile factories

Water fire extinguishers are also well suited for domestic use, especially in living rooms and bedrooms. They are best paired with a CO2 extinguisher, so that electrical fire risk is also covered.

Read more about the different types of fire extinguisher.

Learn what the different extinguisher colours signify.

If you think you need water fire extinguishers, or if you are not sure exactly what you need, please get in touch with our friendly team by calling +353 (0)1 839 5116 They can arrange a free survey visit for you.

How to use a water fire extinguisher:

Removing a safety pin

Probably the safest type of extinguisher to use, with water fire extinguishers you essentially just need to point and spray.

Using the extinguisher:

  • First remove the safety pin to break the anti-tamper seal and stand well back from the fire
  • Point the nozzle at the base of the flames and squeeze the handle
  • Keep spraying until you are sure that all of the fire is out

All of our extinguishers come with a 5 year guarantee, and we fit and commission them free of charge.

Contact us today for a free site survey. +353 (0)1 839 5116

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Get in touch with us today and one of our friendly, knowledgeable team members will discuss your project and outline how we can help secure your business premises or home.

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