Foam Extinguishers

Foam extinguishers are suitable for class A (wood, paper, upholstery) and class B (petrol, liquifying plastic, paints) fires. The foam forms a blanket on the burning material, starving the fire of oxygen. Foam extinguishers also soak into the materials that are alight, which roots out deeper seated ambers. The water content of the foam evaporates in the heat of the fire and cools the fire down, preventing re-ignition.

The jet of the  foam targets only a small area, making the clean up easier than with a powder extinguisher. Due to the properties of the foam extinguishing agent there is also no risk of inhalation in confined spaces. However, it is worth keeping in mind that most foam fire extinguishers are carcinogenic, so a thorough clean up after use is important.

You will require a larger extinguisher to fight a fire with foam rather than with a powder extinguisher. Foam extinguisher can not be used on gas fires.

Powder extinguishers

Powder extinguishers not only fight class A and B class fires, they can also be used on class C fires (caused by combustion of gasses such as natural gas, propane, hydrogen). A powder extinguisher is suitable for a broad range of fires.

The powder does not soak into the burning material and does not evaporate to cool the fire. Instead it ‘knocks out’ the fire and forms  a blanket or crust over the fire to starve the fire of oxygen.

They are a more powerful extinguisher than their foam counterparts and the physical size can therefore be smaller than a foam extinguisher for the same application.

However, there are disadvantages. When deploying a powder extinguisher there is a lot of mess to clear up! The powder can be inhaled and care must be taken when they are used. This type of extinguisher leaves a lot of residue behind and is therefore not necessarily suitable to use in areas where food is prepared. The powder will also damage soft furnishing such as carpets, curtains and settees if not totally removed.

Powder extinguishers should ideally not be installed where children can reach the extinguisher, or where vandalism is possible. Care has also to be taken in historic buildings, as the powder can damage wood and surfaces.

Powders are ideal in garages, cars, industrial settings, workshops, while foams are ideal in areas with soft furnishing and areas of public traffic.

For a more detailed comparison visit our extinguisher advice section.

There are two ways in which to arrange your annual PAT testing with us, either book it over the internet or call our team on 0800 612 4827.  Our charges start from as little as £1.20 inc VAT per item. This fee is inclusive of the engineer’s call out charge, any fuse or basic wire changes and the certification. As added extra we test for microwave radiation leaking.

Our engineers are trained to 2377 City and Guilds Qualification.

The site survey will give you the information you will need to ensure that you have the correct number and type of fire extinguishers and fire blankets and that they are installed in the correct place.  You will be issued with a report containing recommendations where necessary. If you want us to carry out any further actions this can be arranged either during the site visit or for a subsequent visit. However, there is no requirement for you to order any other services or fire safety products, such as fire extinguishers, from us.

Please contact our sales team telephone 0800 612 6537 and quote ‘FSS’ to claim your free fire extinguisher site survey.

Fireworld extinguishers are made of composite plastics, including Kevlar, usually associated with bullet-proof vests, and last a full ten years without any refill – and without a single extinguisher maintenance visit! The extinguishers are tested under extreme circumstances – they are pressurised 12000 times to 25 bar before being flattened by a steel blade. After this gruelling treatment they are pressurised to 55 bar without being allowed to leak! These extinguishers are helping our customers to save costs and help the environment – They can be refurbished after 10 years and are then guaranteed again for another 10 years. Over their lifetime, they save around 18 call-outs and two refills!

Mark Webber stated: ‘In my line of business we don’t leave safety to chance.  Protecting my home and those in it is very important to me and I also value privacy.  The Fireworld extinguishers provide this peace of mind as they have a 10 year guarantee and don’t require annual servicing.’

After discharging a water mist fire extinguisher, the clean-up is quick and easy, with most of the water agent evaporating upon contact with the fire. These extinguishers are perfect for kitchens and food prep areas (where traditional powder or wet chemicals would usually leave a messy, poisonous residue and may involve having to shut down for a period) or areas where the contents are paper based or valuable. The extinguishers are also suitable for boats and other confined spaces. The LPCB approval on these extinguishers certifies ratings of up to 13A, 21B and 75F (on the 6litre model), unheard of for water fire extinguishers. Having passed a 35kV dielectrical test, water mist extinguishers are safe to use around electrical equipment without endangering the user.

Take a look at the full range of water mist fire extinguishers, exclusively available online from Safelincs.

You can even register for this service without buying smoke alarms. Just register for free on our reminder page

This campaign focuses on introducing CO alarms on camping sites. We invite camp site owners to get involved by joining our CO alarm loan scheme. We will provide  them with a number of FREE carbon monoxide alarms which they can use to loan to their campers who are concerned about carbon monoxide. We are also providing information leaflets to raise awareness and are hoping to contribute to the reduction in the number of deaths from this silent killer.

The carbon monoxide alarms provided are portable and battery operated.

If you are interested in joining our carbon monoxide loan scheme or would like some information leaflets, please contact us either by e-mail: angie@safelincs.co.uk or phone 01507 464 154.

Here are some important fire safety tips to ensure that you and your family stay safe this New Year.

Fireworks/flying lanterns
If you are enjoying fireworks always ensure that they carry the British Safety Standard 7114 mark. Treat them with respect and light them a good distance away from onlookers. Never light a firework that has been damaged and always follow the instructions.
Ensure that if you are setting off flying lanterns that the lighting of them is supervised and the release of them has been planned to avoid contact with trees.

Cooking 
Cooking should never be left unattended as it could quite easily get out of control and start a fire. Hot fat could combust and there is a risk of anyone in the house becoming overpowered with smoke before they have a chance to escape.

Candles
Candles should never be left unattended once lit. The flame should be placed away from flammable material like curtains or decorations. Make sure that you have put the candles out correctly before you leave the room and especially before you go to bed.

Early warning
Ensure that you have working smoke alarms, test them regularly and never take out the batteries of alarms. You should have an escape plan, talk this through with all family members especially small children.

This leaflet gives you advice and tips for your fire safety over the festive period. It is written in English and Chinese.
http://www.bucksfire.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/E7C175C9-2DF7-4DAA-AD7D-A351819ED56F/0/home_chinese_073992.pdf

In our information section the fire prevention in the home guide will help you assess the fire risks of your home and to put preventative measures into place.

The fire safety signs guide, which can be found in our website’s fire safety advice section, gives a clear and interactive pictorial guide to these issues. The guide graphically shows the location of fire safety signs in ten different types of rooms, ranging from offices, stairways to factory floors and laboratories. Ordering of the relevant fire safety signs is also made easy. Just click on the sign shown in the graphics and place them in your shopping cart.