Dry Fire v Wet Fire

All businesses must ensure that they have a robust fire safety plan in place in order for them to be able to operate. Within this fire safety plan you should have a clear understanding about how to train your staff on how to prevent fires and how to deal with them when they do happen. A core part of fire safety maintenance is checking the equipment that a business has to deal with fires, that is what we are going to touch on today. Both sprinklers and extinguishers are of course critical in fighting fires and they come in different varieties so that they are able to tackle both wet and dry fires. Both of these fires require different approaches when putting them out, and here is the contrast between the two.

Dry and Wet Fires

The fundamental difference between these two types of fire is the cause, rather than the type of fire. For example a wet fire is often the phrase that is used to refer to fires that have started from liquids such as hot fat, flammable products or gas. Conversely we hear the term dry fire that is used to refer to metal and electrical fires. The reason why it is important to know the difference is that if you try to put out a wet fire with dry fire equipment, it is going to make the fire significantly worse, and visa versa.

Dry and Wet Sprinkler Systems

When it comes to the free system installation in your business you will look at both dry and wet fire sprinkler systems. It is important not to confuse these systems with the different types of fire. When it comes to sprinkler systems a wet sprinkler is one that will disperse water when the censors are alerted by smoke. This is the most commonly used sprinkler system that almost all businesses use. A dry system on the other hand will also use water, but it is the nitrogen in the system that cools the pipes that reacts to the change in temperature. Once the pipes sense a drastic change in temperature, the water will be released. . These systems are more often used in areas that are going to be very cold such as garages or car parks.

Fighting Wet and Dry Fires

To understand how to use the right fire extinguisher, your staff need to understand the class of are that it is, here is a brief guide:

• Class A – Combustible materials like wood and paper
• Class B – Flammable liquids like petrol and paint
• Class C – Flammable Gasses
• Class D – Flammable metals like uranium and potassium
• Class F – Cooking oils
• Electrical

Foam Extinguisher is to be used class A and B fires

Blue extinguisher to be used on A, B, C, D and electrical fires

Black extinguisher for class B and electrical fires

Yellow extinguishers can be used on class A and F only.

Make sure that your staff have a full understanding about the classes of fires and that equipment they should be looking to use in order to safely put it out.