WHAT IS A WETTING AGENT?

Water is the most obvious and abundant substance used to fight fires. It is universally available and has great absorption
capacity. However, there are some instances when water alone wonʼt cut it. Enter the wetting agent.
In the simplest terms, a wetting agent is a solution added to water to reduce its surface tension, thereby increasing its
penetration and absorption capabilities. By weakening the cohesive properties of water and increasing its adhesive
properties, wetting agents, in essence, make water wetter. Used for Class A fires (those involving ordinary combustibles)
and non-water-soluble Class B fires (those involving flammable or combustible liquids), water thatʼs treated with wetting
agents enhances its permeability and allows for better surface area coverage. Wetting agents allow water to better
penetrate and saturate combustible materials, cooling the surface more rapidly, expediting extinguishment and reducing
the risk for reignition. Class B foams, on the other hand, work to repel the carbons by forming a film over the liquid to
suppress the burning vapors. This can pose a risk as if this film is disrupted re-ignition can occur.

According to a 1999 National Institute of Science and Technologyʼs Building and Fire Research Laboratory report, wetting
agents were found to improve waterʼs ability to provide exposure protection on vertical wood surfaces and more quickly
extinguish Class A and piled tire fires. In one study that examined wetting agentsʼ ability to penetrate surface fuels, the
absorption of water droplets was shown to be 40 times slower than wetting agent solutions. Whatʼs more, according to
the National Institute of Standards and Technology, Class A foams made with wetting agents are three to five times more
efficient at fighting fire than plain water alone.

At Firefreeze, we offer Cold Fire®, an environmentally friendly fire extinguishing agent that puts out fires faster, safer, with
less water, less damage to property, and less risk to firefighters. A UL-classified wetting agent, Cold Fire has been shown to
cool 21 times faster than water and works to remove heat and the fuel sources from the fire tetrahedron, preventing re-ignition.