Manual Vs. Automatic Fire Extinguishers "?" Which Is Better? by Ben Griston

Looking for firefighting devices for your office is not actually that hard. All you have to do is go online, look for a dealer, visit their site or store and you are done. You can choose away. But if that whole process is that simple, you would have to wonder why some people find the need to consult some authorities and see some shops before they actually decide on buying.

No, they are not just looking for a bargain because price should be the least of their concerns when buying extinguishers for example. Apart from the price, they would have to check which type of extinguisher is perfect for their industries. After that, they would have to determine how many units their office actually needs. And if that is not enough, the level of sophistication and type of activation also needs to be considered.

Speaking of types of activation, did you know that apart from the common extinguishers that are manually activated, there are those that can be automatically triggered as well? Yes, this type of extinguisher does not have to wait for a fire alarm before it gets set off, most of them get activated when they detect temperature above or equal to 79 degrees Centigrade. This means that it does not need an actual fire or smoke to get them going. As long as they feel overheating around them, then they will do whatever it is that they need to do.

And with that option, one cannot really help to ask, which is better, a manual or an automatic fire extinguisher?

The honest answer to the question above is, it depends on what you need. For example, if you work in a regular small office where the equipment gets rested enough and where flammable items are not scattered around, then you can go for the manual variety. However, if you do your trade in a factory with large equipment prone to overheating and exposed to flammable liquids just like gas or oil, then the automatic extinguishers will be your best bet because they are made to operate in these types of environment. Apart from factory settings, they are also preferred in enclosed and unmanned areas where instantaneous extinguishing is necessary.

In addition, the automatic variety is different in the sense that they are not made to be encased in fire extinguisher cabinets. Instead, they are ideally freely mounted on walls near equipment prone to overheating and they are automatically charged, making them ready to use whenever you need them.

Those additional features make them seem a better investment. Just note though that because of their additional features and dependability, they tend to be priced more and they require more maintenance compared to their manual counterparts.

So at this point, the initial question still stands. Which extinguisher is really better? Well, you really do not need someone else to answer that for you. All you have to do is check your type of environment, know what you need and that is it, you can make the decision from there.


Ben Griston is a professional fire safety expert and consultant for commercial businesses to help promote fire safety and awareness in the UK area.

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