Annual inspection of fire extinguisher:

Every 12 months a fire extinguisher needs to be physically inspected by a trained and licensed professional. The extinguisher shall be inspected for corrosion, dents, legible information on manufacturers label, proper weight and proper pressure and then wiped down completely.

The Fire extinguisher hose should be removed from shell and blown out to ensure there is no blockage in hose. A certification tag will then be affixed to fire extinguisher which will sate the Company’s name & contact info, technicians name, permit and  license number. The type of service performed and the month and year service was performed must be punched out.

Certification tag is good for 1 year from date that tag was punched out.

12-year maintenance/Hydro testing:

Every 12 years from the manufacturer's date; or from the last hydro test date serviced, all fire extinguishers must be tested to manufacturers specs to ensure the safety and the integrity of the shell. Fire extinguisher will be torn down completely and will have the inside of the shell inspected for corrosion. Shell will then be filled with water and placed on hydrotest machine which will then place fire extinguisher under pressure required by manufacturers requirements.

Usually, it is 3x the normal pressure allowed for the said shell. If the shell does not expand or burst, the shell will then be dried out, refilled, and pressurized per the manufacturers' requirements. The service technician will then place said decals showing that service was performed on the said shell.

We usually recommend that fire extinguishers be replaced when the unit reaches this point. In most cases, it is more cost-effective.