Extinguisher Recharging

Fire Extinguishers are an integral part of every business's safety plan.

They are always close by and ready to go in the event a fire breaks out. Many extinguishers are not prepared to save a business from a fire because they have not been adequately maintained and inspected.

Business owners need to understand the importance of fire extinguisher recharging. This process is an essential aspect of fire extinguisher service and maintenance and cannot be ignored.

Why Fire Extinguishers Need to be Recharged.

An undercharged, expired, or depressurized fire extinguisher can endanger company personnel and property. Commercial and industrial facilities need their fire extinguishers recharged by trained fire protection professionals to meet provincial codes, OSHA requirements, and insurance company recommendations.

Crest Fire has the tools, training, and knowledge to ensure fire extinguishers are in peak working condition and appropriately refilled with the correct extinguishing agent.

Our qualified fire protection service technicians have expertise in recharging all types of fire extinguishers, including:

ABC dry chemical

Carbon dioxide

Wet chemical

Water

Foam

Clean agent or Halogen

How to Check a Fire Extinguisher Gauge.

Business owners should perform a quick extinguisher inspection at least once per month, and one of the most important factors to check during this inspection is the pressure gauge. The gauge will tell you whether the unit is undercharged, overcharged, or within the operational zone. You want the needle to point within the green area for optimal use. If the pressure gauge is in the "Recharge" position or is reading in the "Over Pressurized Range," the best thing is to bring it to a fire protection technician for service.

When do Fire Extinguishers Need to be Recharged?

Fire extinguishers must be recharged directly after use to ensure enough pressure and suppressant liquid are stored and ready to extinguish a fire. Here are several instances where fire extinguisher recharging needs to occur.

Immediately after each use

Fire extinguishers must be recharged immediately after each use. Even if the extinguishing agent inside was not completely discharged, the extinguisher still needs to be serviced to ensure it's ready for future use. A minimal extinguisher discharge will typically result in leakage and an eventual total pressure loss required for proper operation.

Periodically throughout their life

Fire extinguishers need to be recharged regularly throughout their lifetime. The manufacturer's service guidelines and the NFPA 10 standard for portable fire extinguishers require periodic internal examination and recharging even if they haven't been used. For most used stored pressure dry chemical fire extinguishers, this internal examination and recharging are required at six and twelve years from the date of manufacture noted on the extinguisher.

When displaying signs of apparent damage, corrosion, or nozzle blockage

Fire extinguishers need to be inspected or recharged due to deterioration or other environmental factors that may result in them becoming depressurized.