Fire extinguishers are a critical part of each building’s fire safety infrastructure. Hopefully, you’ll never have the need to use one. In the event you do though, they can stop significant damage to your premises. They can also prevent major injuries and save lives. You can rely on us to offer the finest fire extinguisher service & supply, if you want to ensure you have reliable equipment.
Because they are so important, it’s vital you keep your fire extinguishers in working order. Maintenance is essential to keeping them functioning properly. Monthly and annual services and inspections are a great way to check their state. Yet, it’s equally as important to know why they need replacing, including expiration. We’re going to discuss whether you should utilise an expired extinguisher. Also, we’ll go over the signs you need to look for that might be telling you yours is past its best.
No expiry date
To start with, we should clarify that there’s actually no set expiry date for fire extinguishers. Rather, you need to treat them on a case by case basis. Normally, the life of an extinguisher changes depending on the manufacturer’s reliability and quality. Frequent maintenance and, if needed, refills, can work to extend an extinguisher’s life. As a general rule though, you should consider replacing yours every 10 years.
Every extinguisher will include the manufacturing date somewhere. Look at the neck, centre, and base of your unit to find its age. While some can last past ten years, they could begin developing more faults. It could prove more cost efficient to merely replace them with new units.
To check if your fire extinguisher has expired and needs a replacement, have a responsible person do monthly inspections. Also, it’s best to hire a professional once a year to perform a full service of the extinguishers on your property. Come to us for the best fire extinguisher service & supply.
Signs it’s time for a new unit
Next, we’ll discuss potential signs that it is time to dispose of an extinguisher. As time passes, units will start showing their age with evidence of wear and tear. Some issues you can fix, but others will mean your extinguisher needs replacing.
There are plenty of warning signs to stay cautious of that could show your unit is ready for disposal. These include the pin being missing or has been released, or cracks, blockages, or damage around the nozzle. The hose could be split, cracking, or damaged in some way too. Maybe your handle is shaky, weak, or broken. In addition, check to see if the neck is damaged, weak, or broken. If the inspection tag is missing, have the unit checked by a professional.
Disposing of extinguishers
We’ll finish by talking about how to properly dispose of fire extinguishers. It is important to understand what you need to do with them so you don’t have issues. We can help if you need fire extinguisher service & supply.
As you might expect, you can’t just put an extinguisher in the bin. Their pressurised nature, along with the chemicals in some of them, means they are hazardous. As a result, you need to get rid of them in a particular way.
Firstly, you must check if your unit is empty. If it’s not, you have three options. One is to empty it yourself, but this is only possible with some water and carbon dioxide models. If you can’t empty it, your closest hazardous waste facility should be able to handle things. Or, you could call a professional company to take it.
The disposal process isn’t too complicated if you have an empty extinguisher. Test the unit to see that it’s entirely empty. Most fire extinguishers are made using steel, making them easily recyclable. Other parts such as rubber hoses also tend to be safe to recycle. So, you can usually dismantle an extinguisher and take it to a household waste centre.
We can help many clients with fire extinguisher service & supply in Hartlepool
At ABC Fire Safety & Security, we offer services to HMOs, commercial lettings, and business units. We also have experience with temporary and permanent structures. With our reliable services, we save lives and protect properties.
So, if you need the top fire extinguisher service & supply, please get in touch. We can give you a clear assessment of any extinguishers, ensuring they aren’t past their expiration.
