A fire extinguisher can safeguard your home or business from the risk of fire. Having suitable fire protection in the workplace is an insurance and health and safety regulations requirement. Fire extinguishers are estimated to save the UK economy £500 million each year so are worth a small investment for the piece of mind that owning the right protection equipment offers. This section provides information on the different types of extinguisher commonly available so you can make an informed choice about what type is best for your buildings particular risks.

There are five types or classes of extinguisher, each of which is good for extinguishing specific types of fire. The different types come in the form of: water, foam, dry powder, co2 (carbon dioxide) wet chemical.

Water is the most common and most economical type of extinguisher. It can extinguish flammable solid fires such as hay, wood, paper, sugar and coal. This type of fire is known as class A.

An AFFF foam extinguisher is also suitable for extinguishing flammable solids but can also extinguish flammable liquid fires including paint, petrol, and diesel fires. Flammable liquid fires are known as class B fires.

Dry powder extinguishers are suitable for multi purpose risks. They can put out flammable solid fires, liquid and gas fires as well as electrical fires. In terms of fire classes, a dry powder fire extinguisher can extinguish class A, B, C and electrical fires.

A Co2 extinguisher is capable of extinguishing flammable liquid fires and is the best type for safety extinguishing electrical fires.

A wet chemical extinguisher is a ground-breaking new kind of fire extinguisher which is capable of extinguishing cooking fat fires. They are made to protect against the deep fat fryer fires that potentially exist in restaurant kitchens, cafes, chip shops etc. In terms of fire class, a wet chemical extinguisher is capable of extinguishing class B and Class F fires.

It is recommended that you inspect your fire protection equipment at least monthly and record the information in your fire log book. During this check you should inspect the extinguishers for any signs of damage, tampering or use, check that it is not obstructed and its operating instructions are visible and facing outwards so anybody who needs to use it quickly can see the user instructions.

Check the fire extinguisher gauge is in an acceptable range on stored pressure extinguishers – this is the green zone for most models. A FETA qualified engineer should service your fire extinguishers at least once a year. This service should comply with British Standard 5306 part 3. It is recommended that you choose a BAFE registered company to service any fire extinguisher you may have.

Fire extinguishers are essential for ensuring the safety of your employees, business, home or tenants from the devastating effects of fire. They are an insurance requirement and are also a requisite of The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2006.

Fire needs four components to exist; heat for the flammable substance to reach its ignition temperature, combustible material (fuel), oxygen to maintain combustion and the chemical reaction between the three previously mentioned factors. Fire extinguishers work by applying an extinguishing agent that either cools the burning fuel, displaces the oxygen, or stops the chemical reaction so a fire cannot carry on burning.

There are five types of fire extinguishers: water, foam, dry powder, carbon dioxide (co2), and wet chemical. All are good at extinguishing certain types of fire but not others, and all have their pro’s and cons, for example a dry powder fire extinguisher offers the best all round coverage for most fire risks, but is messy when discharged. For advise on which extinguisher to purchase, see our which extinguisher? page. You should site your fire extinguishers in a place where you can see them clearly and reach them quickly in an emergency. Preferably on an exit route or close to a particular risk. Your extinguisher should be fitted to the wall about 1 metre from the ground and should have an extinguisher identification sign mounted above it.

You should inspect your fire extinguishers at least monthly for signs of damage, discharge or tampering. Report any such occurrences to your local servicing company. A BAFE approved extinguisher servicing company should inspect and certify your extinguishers at least annually. Both monthly and annual extinguisher inspections should be recorded in your fire log book as evidence of your fire safety equipment checks.

Although our fire extinguishers are sold at rock bottom prices, all extinguishers supplied by our site are CE approved, kitemarked and manufactured to BS EN3 so you can buy with confidence and rest assured that all equipment has undergone stringent, independent testing. See our extinguisher page for more details.