Sam Crudgington

Foam Extinguishers are extremely effective because of the way the ingredients in the cleverly work together. The mix of concentrated foam solution, water and inert nitrogen pressurises the extinguisher. When the extinguisher is used, the stored pressure drives out the foam solution, which swirls around in the nozzle, producing a fine spray of foam in a much larger volume than the extinguisher itself.

How does it work? In two ways; the foam seals the fire from its oxygen supply, and secondly the moist foam cools the burning material.

Foam Extinguisher Facts

  • They are also called AFFF extinguishers (Aqueous Film Forming Foam)
  • They work by building a non-combustible chemical ‘seal’ that cuts off a fire’s oxygen supply
  • Foam Extinguishers are red in colour with a cream label
  • They are much more effective than water alone
  • They are lighter than the equivalent water extinguisher
  •  It is not recommended that they are used close to live electrical appliances because they contain a quantity of water

How do you use a Foam Fire Extinguisher?

  • Spray just above the surface of the fire to allow the foam to build up and flow over the fire
  • You should also spray towards the back of a container containing burning liquid or against a vertical surface behind it
  • Use a gentle side-to-side sweeping motion to cover the whole fire
  • DO NOT approach the fire too closely
  • It is dangerous to spray the foam directly onto burning liquid. This pushes the foam beneath the liquid, where it cant put out the fire, but could spread it to a wider area insteadfoam extinguisher Fire extinguisher expiry date Total Safe UK fire safety services south east

Total Safe are local experts in fire extinguisher maintenance, servicing both small and large business throughout Essex, London and The South-East. We supply, fit, maintain, refill and service all types of commercial extinguishers in a host of different industries, including retail, warehousing, manufacturers and SMES.

We understand how important time is to any business, which is why we pre-arrange all of our service visits with an exact time slot to keep you prepared, and to allow us to do our servicing in as quick as time as possible. Contact the team today for a free consultation.