Understanding The Importance Of Fire Extinguisher Maintenance
by Norman Holden on 05/23/14
Every building ought to have at least one portable fire extinguisher and that is easy to access. My home, for example, has three fully serviced and functioning fire extinguishers, one in the garage, the furnace/laundry room and the kitchen. Why three, you might ask. Well, once you have been in a fire tragedy, then you know that having just one in a home isn’t good enough.
All the same, it is important to realize that a fire extinguisher should be well maintained so as to extend its life and ensure optimal performance incase of a fire tragedy. For example, the pressure gauge needs to be inspected on a monthly basis and recharged if need be. Note however that a fire extinguisher should be properly inspected and maintained by an experienced professional at least once a year. It is not mandatory in Ontario to have this done in your home, but it offers a line of defence against the unexpected and can save you on your insurance costs.
Properly maintaining a fire extinguisher
An improperly maintained fire extinguisher is likely to be useless when needed the most, and hence the importance of properly maintaining yours. Proper fire extinguisher maintenance lessens the likelihood of fire tragedies and also assures your peace of mind.
Here are some guidelines to ensure that your fire extinguisher will be working in the event of a fire..
1. Ensure it is located in an easy to access location.
2. Make sure that yours is set up in a proper manner for ease of handling and that it is firmly secured to the wall and not falling down.
3. Ensure that the tamper seal is intact and that there is no physical damage or corrosion on the cylinder.
4. Check the pressure dial to ascertain that yours is fully charged. Simply put, the fire extinguisher should be fully charged at all times and ready for immediate use.
5. Ascertain that the pull pin is correctly secured and is inside the handle. The pin should be held in place by a tamper proof seal.
6. Make sure that there are no modifications on your fire fighting equipment that might affect its level of performance. Such as the hose assembly being removed.
7. The affixed instruction label needs to be visible and legible at all times.
What happens if a fire extinguisher is improperly maintained?
Improper fire extinguisher maintenance has grievous consequences in a majority of cases. So, to avoid issues with your fire fighting equipment, a proper maintenance routine has to be implemented. An inspection needs to be done on a monthly basis - at least once per month and if you discover any problems they should be corrected as soon as possible. This way, small fires in homes, office buildings, restaurants, etc, can easily be contained. Simply put, a flame can instantly be doused or contained with a correctly functioning fire extinguisher.
Can a corroded or dented fire extinguisher canister explode?
If a fire extinguisher is badly damaged or is seriously corroded or dented or has visible signs of a leak, then it is potentially dangerous for it is possible for the canister to rupture. So if you suspect yours is in bad shape, then better to have a professional fire extinguisher service provider in to inspect it. If replacing it is the only viable option, then have it replaced. It is better to be safe than sorry!
