Your fire extinguisher is an important piece of equipment in your home or office. It is sometimes overlooked but this should never be the case. The time may come when you will need to use it and you want to make sure that it is in good working order. There are some things that you need to understand about fire extinguisher servicing, so take a closer look.

You Should Do Checks

You need to get a professional to come in and service your fire extinguisher but you are around the extinguisher a lot more, so you need to do your checks as well. Fairly often, you should take the time to visually inspect your fire extinguisher.

Look for any signs that there are damages on the extinguisher. Specifically, you should be looking for dents and leaks. Some fire extinguishers tend to rust as well so you should be looking out for this. Your fire extinguisher will contain a pull-pin seal. You must make sure that it is not damaged.

Professional Checks 

At some point in the year, you need to get your fire extinguisher professionally checked. This will ensure that your fire extinguisher is working correctly. If it is not, your service provider will fix any problems that the device may be having.

When your professional fire servicing company has inspected the fire extinguisher, they will put a tag on it to state that its safety has been verified. If your fire extinguisher does not pass the inspection, you will need to replace or repair it if possible.

Internal Check

There's another check that you need to get on your fire extinguisher. This is a more thorough one called a hydro test. This test is performed less regularly than your annual checkup, you can ask your fire extinguisher service if you are due for this test. 

During this test, your fire extinguisher will be emptied and placed underwater and then subjected to pressure that exceeds its current ratings. If your fire extinguisher does not pass the test it will be destroyed. If it passes the test, it will be recharged and made available for service again.

Getting your fire extinguisher serviced is a big deal and you need to make sure that you take the time to get it done periodically. You also need to ensure that you are conducting your inspections in between professional servicing. This way you will know immediately if something is going wrong with the extinguisher.

 For more information about fire extinguisher servicing, contact a local company.