subject: Refilling/Recharging Fire Extinguishers [print this page] Refilling/Recharging Fire Extinguishers Refilling/Recharging Fire Extinguishers
After a fire extinguisher has been discharged, either partially or fully you'll need to get yourself a fire extinguisher refill.
You might need a refill after the extinguisher has been used to fight a fire or it may have been discharged due to misuse/vandalism.
A test discharge might also be necessary sometimes to ensure a unit is working. This might be required if the service label is missing or you don't know the history of the extinguisher.
In any of the above situations you'll require a fire extinguisher refill to be carried out by a qualified professional.
Refilling Your Extinguisher Safely
As with most things to do with fire extinguishers the primary consideration is safety. With fire extinguishers refills this is especially important because the unit may not operate correctly when required if it wasn't refilled correctly.
Besides the unit not operating correctly there are serious safety issues to consider when refilling the extinguisher.
Under no circumstances should you attempt a fire extinguisher refill yourself. You might think this is obvious but people do attempt to do it themselves and it's very dangerous.
People have been killed while attempting to refill fire extinguishers themselves. The reason being, that most fire extinguishers are constantly under high pressure and even loosening the cap will cause it to pop off at high speed.
Fire Extinguisher Refill Types
Many modern fire extinguishers are the stored pressure type and have a pressure gauge. These are usually cheaper to refill than the cartridge operated units.
If the fire extinguisher is cartridge operated and it's ageing or it's in a less than new condition you might want to consider replacing it. A new cartridge and a refill can prove to be quite expensive.
Replacement of old cartridge operated extinguishers may not always be more cost effective than refilling but it still might be the best option if for just a little more expense you can buy a brand new extinguisher.
If you think a fire extinguisher might have been misused, vandalised or used to fight a fire then it's always a good idea to have it serviced. It's likely that a refill will be part of the work required to bring it back to a useful and safe state.
It's important to emphasise though that you should seek professional advice and contact your local fire protection experts to refill your extinguishers for you.
Unless you're a qualified fire protection professional yourself you shouldn't be attempting any type of fire extinguisher refill.
