Clean, but only for liquids and electrical

CO2 Portable Extinguishers

Amerex · Badger · ANSUL Canada & United States $$ · No reliable public figure — get quotes

CO2 extinguishers leave no residue and are rated for flammable liquid and electrical fires (B:C). They are not rated for ordinary combustibles like wood, paper or cloth.

Why we like it

No residue — nothing to clean off equipment afterward
Suitable for energized electrical equipment
Available from fire equipment dealers and industrial suppliers such as Grainger and Uline

Watch out for

No Class A rating, so a fire in ordinary materials can re-ignite
Asphyxiation risk in small, enclosed rooms
Short range and ineffective outdoors in wind; the horn gets extremely cold

Best for

Electrical rooms, laboratories and flammable-liquid areas.

Read the full market guide — costs, install effort and alternatives ↓

Market guide

The whole commitment, end to end

What this actually is, what the market looks like, what it really costs, and how much of your time it wants — before you spend anything.

Buying it Trivial

Installing it Trivial

Living with it Easy

Up front

No reliable public figure — get quotes.

Lead time

Same day to a few days

Time to install

Minutes

How it works

The cylinder holds liquefied carbon dioxide under high pressure. On discharge it expands into gas and dry-ice 'snow', pushing oxygen away from the fire and cooling it briefly. Because the gas disperses quickly and does little to cool deep-seated material, it works on liquid and electrical fires but not reliably on burning wood or paper.

Who needs it

Electrical and IT spaces and laboratories, chosen through the NFPA 10 hazard assessment.

Codes, standards and listings

Canada: Construction per CAN/ULC-S503; rating per CAN/ULC-S508; selection under the National Fire Code of Canada (which references NFPA 10).
United States: Construction per UL 154; rating per UL 711; selection per NFPA 10 hazard assessment.

What the market looks like

Amerex, Badger and ANSUL make the common commercial units. They are sold through fire equipment dealers and industrial suppliers like Grainger and Uline, and serviced by the same dealers that handle other extinguishers.

Features that actually matter

Residue-free: Leaves nothing behind, so equipment and lab surfaces need no clean-up.
B:C rating: Flammable liquids and energized electrical equipment only.
Short range: Must be used close to the fire; wind outdoors scatters the gas.
Cold discharge horn: The horn becomes extremely cold; hold the handle, not the horn.

What it really costs

Up front: No reliable public figure — get quotes.
Consumables: Recharge after any use. No reliable public figure — get quotes.
What else you'll need: Wall bracket and signage.
Over five years: Five annual services plus a 5-year hydrostatic test. No reliable public figure — get quotes.

No public price source was checked; all cost lines need dealer quotes.

How it differs from the alternatives

Versus ABC dry chemical: No mess and no corrosion, but no Class A rating. A room with paper, furniture and electrical gear usually needs both.
Versus clean agent: Clean agent extinguishers also leave no residue and larger ones carry a Class A rating, without CO2's asphyxiation concern in small rooms.

Buying it

Effort Trivial

Where: Fire equipment dealers (who also do the annual service); industrial suppliers such as Grainger and Uline.

Lead time: Same day to a few days

Confirm the hazard assessment calls for CO2 rather than clean agent, especially for small rooms.

Installing it

Effort Trivial

Time: Minutes

You'll need: Drill · Wall anchors · Bracket

CO2 cylinders are heavy for their rating; use a bracket rated for the weight.

Living with it

Effort Easy

Annual service and a hydrostatic test every 5 years — a shorter interval than dry chemical's 12 years.

If not this, then what

Clean agent extinguisherResidue-free with less asphyxiation concern; larger units carry a small Class A rating.
ABC dry chemicalCovers all three common classes at the cost of mess and corrosion.

Caveats

Asphyxiation risk in small rooms.
No Class A rating, so fires in ordinary materials can re-ignite.
No price source was checked; get dealer quotes.

Our verdict

Good for what it is rated for — electrical rooms and flammable liquids — and wrong for anything else. Never treat it as the only extinguisher in a space full of ordinary combustibles.

We don't take payment for placement and we don't sell these products. If you think we've got something wrong here, tell us — we'll correct it.

Sources

UL Solutions — Fire extinguisher testing and certification

Need this installed or serviced? Find a licensed contractor near you →

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