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What on Earth Is a Fire Tetrahedron? | SERVPRO® of Bartow/Lakeland Highlands
1/31/2022 (Permalink)
Do you know what the word tetrahedron means? In short, it’s a three-dimensional, triangular shape with four equal sides.
But why are we talking about shapes in our restoration blog? Well, there is also something known as a fire tetrahedron.
Simply put, there are four components—or sides—needed in order to have a fire survive. Without all of these elements working together, a fire can’t start or continue.
Fuel. There has to be something to burn! It can be fibers, plastics or wood; no matter the source, they are all perfect fueling agents for a fire.
Heat. The amount of heat necessary will be different for every substance, but there has to be enough heat to cause combustion. Every object has a threshold point at which it will either melt or ignite.
Oxygen. Fire reacts with oxygen, which produces an expanding series of chemical reactions. Oxygen feeds the fire so that it will continue to grow.
Chemical Chain Reaction. A continual cycle of heat, fuel and oxygen creates a chain reaction. And as long as this chain reaction goes undisturbed, it will continue to grow.
Cool it. Dousing a fire with cool water is something that everyone thinks of first. Hoses full of water often offer the best solution by cooling down the burning material. Because the heat from the fire can cause the water to evaporate, it may require a great deal of water to douse.
Smother it. Depriving a fire from oxygen will quickly put a fire out. It’s all about removing the oxygen source, which is why you’re told to “stop, drop and roll” to put out a clothing fire.
Starve it. As long as there are fueling agents for a fire, it will continue to grow. The proactive way to starve a fire is to create a boundary of starvation for the fire. Once the fire runs out of fuel, it will naturally come to an end.
Interrupt the chain reaction. Chemical agents such as halon can effectively put a stop to a fire by causing a disruption to the chemical chain reaction. But while halon is very effective, it has an elevated potential for ozone depletion, which makes it an environmental threat.
If the fire tetrahedron makes a wreck of your home or business, we’re ready around the clock to help you recover. Contact SERVPRO anytime for fast, thorough cleanup and recovery after a fire.