How many years should a fire extinguisher last?
The fire extinguisher in our house is over 10 years old. The gauge shows that it is fully charged, and it has never been used. It is dry chemical type ABC. Is it okay to keep it a few more years, and how long should an extinguisher like this normally last?
Fire Extinguishers can stay "usable" for a long time. I have seen some sit well over a decade and still be fine.
Remeber these few important tips:
1. Once you use a fire extinguisher, no matter how much of it you have used, it must be taken in and recharged, if it is the rechargeable type.
2. Keep an eye on the pressure guage (on all units but CO2) and make sure it's in the "operable" range. Make sure the "pin" is in place and sealed there.
3. Once a year, commercial locations should have thier units checked and recertified by a professional.
4. Every six years, dry chemical (like your ABC) and halogenated agents should be taken in, emptied, and recharged. (This is a requiement in a commerical application.)
5. Every five years, water and CO2, units need taken in and hydrostatically tested.
6. Every 12 years, the halogenated agent and dry chemicals will come due for thier hydrotest.
7. When in doubt, ask a professional to take a look at the unit.
8. To find a fire extinguihser service location near you, try the yellow pages under 'fire extinguishers.'
9. Most of those service locations will dispose of one for no charge if it's not worth keeping.
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