Fire extinguishers are often the primary method by which a business or home defends itself against the dangers of a fire. After all, that is what they are designed for, and when used properly, they are very effective at what they do. What you might not realize is that your fire extinguisher must be kept in good order, or the equipment will not be ready to work in the event of an emergency. A fire extinguisher inspection must be conducted when necessary, and here are a few factors that determine when that is.
Type Of Fire Extinguisher
Most people have a regular, water-based fire extinguisher that is designed to put out most spot fires you may get in a normal house or business. You could go your whole life without realizing there are many other, more specialized fire extinguishers that are made with other substances, such as powder or foam. Each type of fire extinguisher has a certain guideline for when it needs to be inspected, so make sure that you check what type you have and then follow the legal guidelines or you could face a heavy fine if you are found to be negligent in your duties.
Features On Your Fire Extinguisher
If your fire extinguisher does not have something like a pressure gauge, then inspections need to be done more thoroughly. The pressure gauge makes sure that you actually have condensed material inside the extinguisher that is ready to come out when you need it. Without that instrument, the only way to tell if a fire extinguisher is still ready to be used is by weighing it. These inspections may need to be done more frequently, and if possible, you should try to upgrade your extinguisher to a more modern variant when the time comes.
Different Types Of Inspections
Some inspections can be done by yourself, while others will need to be conducted by a professional fire safety expert. Each and every fire extinguisher comes with a guideline on when each inspection needs to be done, who it needs to be done by, and when the expected end of life for said extinguisher is. Some may even come with a suggestion of who to call when you need an inspection done, or they will offer to do it themselves. Remember, a fire extinguisher is not a static object; it needs to be maintained and serviced just like a car, so don't ignore it!