Carbon dioxide (CO2) is a colorless, odorless, and chemically inert gas that is both readily available and electrically non-conductive. It extinguishes fire primarily by lowering the level of oxygen that supports combustion in a protected area. This mechanism of fire suppression makes CO2 suppression systems highly effective, requiring minimal clean-up, but should be used in normally unoccupied hazard locations or otherwise avoided by personnel when discharged. CO2 suppression systems may utilize the gas through a total flooding approach but carbon dioxide is also the only gaseous agent that may be utilized through local application
