Fire Extinguishers FAQs
Fire extinguishers come in a whole host of sizes and colours, so while we hope you never have cause to use one, it’s important to understand what they are best suited for and how to properly maintain them. Check out the following frequently asked questions about fire extinguishers to refresh your knowledge.
What is the best extinguisher for your home?
The best type of fire extinguisher for your home is a foam extinguisher, covering Class A and Class B fires, allowing you to tackle wood and paper fires as well as those involving burning liquids and liquefiable solids. To tackle a deep fat fryer fire, you will need an ABF extinguisher.
What is the red fire extinguisher for?
Fire extinguishers with red labels are water based for fires involving solids, while a red label on a white background is water mist and can be used on some electrical fires.
What is the blue fire extinguisher for?
The blue labelled fire extinguisher uses powder and can be used on either organic solids, oils, fats and petrol or combustible metals.
What is the cream fire extinguisher for?
The cream labelled fire extinguisher uses foam and can be used on electrical fires or paint and petrol.
The cream labelled fire extinguisher uses foam and can be used on electrical fires or paint and petrol.
The black labelled fire extinguisher uses carbon dioxide and can be used on live electrical equipment, including computer servers.
What is the yellow fire extinguisher for?
The yellow labelled fire extinguisher uses a wet chemical mixture and can be used on cooking oil fires, including for fat fires.
My pull pin is bent. Do I have to replace the pin and how?
A bent pull pin will need to be replaced or it could cause a jam. The tamper seal must be broken so the pin can be removed and replaced, the tamper seal must also then be replaced.
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About Scutum London
Scutum London is a leading expert in fire safety and security solutions for businesses and organisations located across South East England, including London and Surrey.
From fire alarms, fire extinguishers and fire risk assessments to access control, CCTV and intruder alarm systems – and a lot more besides – we offer a comprehensive range of products and services designed to keep you, your business and your staff and visitors safe.
With decades of industry experience to call on, we’re proud to hold accreditations from leading trade associations and bodies such as British Approvals for Fire Equipment (BAFE), the British Fire Consortium, the Fire Industry Association (FIA) and Security Systems and Alarms Inspection Board (SSAIB).
If you’d like to find out more about Scutum London, get in touch with our friendly team or explore our products and services on our site.
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