Fire Extinguisher Servicing

BAFE-certified engineers with over three decades of combined experience. London and Kent. Updated September 2026

Key facts

BS 5306-3 Compliant Servicing Across the UK
BAFE SP101 Registered

Professional Fire Extinguisher Servicing in London and Kent

At Smartec Fire Safety, we provide comprehensive fire extinguisher servicing to ensure your fire extinguishers remain safe, reliable and ready for use in an emergency. Our experienced engineers carry out thorough inspections, testing and servicing to identify any damage, defects or signs of wear, ensuring your equipment remains maintained to the appropriate standards. We can service a wide range of fire extinguishers and provide ongoing maintenance to help businesses meet their fire safety responsibilities while protecting people, property and premises.

At a glance

What is fire extinguisher servicing?

Fire extinguisher servicing is the routine inspection, weight and pressure check, and periodic discharge test of portable fire extinguishers, carried out by a competent engineer to keep them ready for use. It is separate from a fire risk assessment, which determines how many extinguishers a building needs and where they go.

Fire extinguisher colour coding

All UK fire extinguishers are red-bodied, identified by a coloured panel covering roughly 5% of the surface, indicating the extinguishing agent inside.

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Water — all red

Class A: wood, paper, textiles

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Foam — cream panel

Class A and B: solids and flammable liquids

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Dry powder — blue panel

Class A, B, C and electrical fires

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CO2 — black panel

Class B and electrical fires, safe on live equipment

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Wet chemical — yellow panel panel

Class F: cooking oils and fats

Is servicing a legal requirement?

Yes. The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 requires the Responsible Person to keep fire-fighting equipment maintained in efficient working order. BS 5306-3 is the code of practice your servicing regime is judged against.

How Smartec does this

Smartec Integrated Systems is BAFE SP101 registered for fire extinguisher servicing. Our engineers carry out the annual basic service on every extinguisher type, checking weight, pressure, condition and accessibility, and carry out the extended service at the 5-year interval most types require. Every visit is logged in your Digital Logbook on the Smartec Client Portal, alongside any fire alarm or emergency lighting maintenance on the same site.

What does a service visit include?

Visual check of condition, accessibility and correct extinguisher type for the location

Weight and pressure check against manufacturer specification

Extended service (discharge and refill) at the required interval

Replacement of any unit that fails or is beyond economical repair

Service tag applied and certificate issued via the Smartec Client Portal

Who needs this?

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Offices & retail

Any commercial premises, sized to the fire risk assessment

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Commercial kitchens

Wet chemical extinguishers for cooking oil fires, alongside a fire blanket

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Landlords & HMOs

A legal responsibility under the Fire Safety Order

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Warehouses & industrial

Larger sites with multiple extinguisher types across different zones

Every test and visit is recorded in tamper-proof Digital Logbooks on the Smartec Client Portal — live asset tracking, photo-verified defects, instant certificate downloads.

PROJECT

University of Roehampton

Alongside fire alarm maintenance, Smartec also maintains the emergency lighting system across the University of Roehampton campus, with both systems tracked through the same Digital Logbook and inspected on coordinated visits.

FAQs

How often should fire extinguishers be serviced?: An annual basic service under BS 5306-3, plus an extended service (discharge and refill) every 5 years for most types.
What colour is a CO2 fire extinguisher?: Red-bodied with a black panel, used on Class B and electrical fires.
Do I need different extinguishers in a commercial kitchen?: Yes. Wet chemical extinguishers (yellow panel) are required for cooking oil and fat fires, which water, foam and powder extinguishers cannot safely handle.
How many fire extinguishers does my building need?: This is determined by your fire risk assessment, based on floor area, fire risk and building layout, not a fixed number.
Is fire extinguisher servicing a legal requirement?: Yes, under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. BS 5306-3 sets the standard.
Does Smartec hold a fire extinguisher accreditation?: Yes. Smartec Integrated Systems is BAFE SP101 registered, the third-party scheme for fire extinguisher service providers.