Top Tips On How To Maintain Fire Extinguishers
Whether you own a business or a home, you may want to consider installing several fire extinguishers at different points around the place. Often, fires start small and grow big, causing massive damages to property. Having a fire extinguisher at all times can help you put out fires before they grow larger, leading to costly damages.
Undoubtedly, fire extinguishers are our first line of defence in the event of a fire. But are you sure that the fire extinguisher you grab first is in good condition to deal with a fire breakout? Similar to other devices, a fire extinguisher requires regular maintenance to ensure that it is up to the task of putting out fires. Therefore, protecting your business and home from fires starts by adequately maintaining your fire extinguishers.
Tips To Maintain Fire Extinguishers
Here are some simple steps you may need to follow to keep your fire extinguishers in perfect working condition.
Inspect Fire Extinguishers At Least Once Each Month
The first step towards properly maintaining your fire extinguishers is visually inspecting them once every month. Check if the fire extinguisher parts, such as hoses and nozzles, are all in good condition. Next, confirm that the tamper seals and the locking pins are still in place.
Lastly, you need to check if the pressure gauge indicator needle is pointing to the green zone. If the needle points somewhere else other than the green zone, it is a good idea to replace the fire extinguisher or have it checked out by a Totnes Fire Protection & Signs Ltd professional.
Have A Professional Inspect and Maintain Your Fire Extinguishers at least Once Every Year
Although visually inspecting your fire extinguishers every month can be enough to ensure they are in good condition for work, you may need to have them inspected by a professional at least once every year. A Totnes Fire Protection & Signs Ltd professional can give your fire extinguishers a more thorough inspection than your monthly examinations.
If there is any problem with your fire extinguishers, these experts can handle it, ensuring they are up to the task whenever you need them. To keep track of the maintenance, these experts will record the inspection dates on the tags once they complete the work. These records can help you remember the next time you should have an expert check out your fire extinguishers.
Hire An Expert For Overall Maintenance Of Your Fire Extinguishers Every Six Years
After every six years, it is important to have your fire extinguishers inspected and maintained. There are some similarities between the annual and the six-year fire extinguisher inspection. However, the six-year examination involves completely emptying the canisters to give room for a thorough inspection of the fire extinguishers’ internal mechanical parts.
Once the expert confirms that every part of the fire extinguisher is perfect, they would refill, re-pressurise and put a seal back in place. Similar to the yearly inspection, the expert would record the dates on the tag to ensure you remember when to conduct the six-year inspection again.
Conclusion
Without fire extinguishers, it can be hard to put out small fires that can grow larger, leading to massive damages. Similar to any other device, a fire extinguisher needs to be in perfect condition at all times to ensure it is ready whenever required. Therefore, regular maintenance of fire extinguishers is an essential practice for any business or homeowner. The tips above that can guide you on how to keep your fire extinguishers in good shape.
