I chose the Fire Extinguisher Maintenance and Inspection article. This informed me of the different types of fire extinguishers and the uses for each one. An important detail in this article is that not all fires can be put out by the same extinguisher and could cause more damage if the correct one isn’t used.
In my inspection of a portable fire extinguishers have many different components that are required. The first requirement is the meters are to be checked to make sure they are on the full reading. The next component that is required is to make sure that the correct type of extinguisher is present for a residential use. Another component is to check that the pin is in place and the tamper seal has not been broken and intact. Finally, The Date of Expiration on the extinguisher needs to documented and not expired. In Conclusion, all of these factors need to be inspected for client safety and then documented in home inspection.
Fire Safety is extremely important and can be helped with my inspection. Many people purchase a fire extinguisher and never check to make sure that it is the right kind of device. The extinguisher for a residential use should be a multipurpose ABC type device. Type A puts out a fire made of trash or wood. Type B puts out grease ignited fires. Lastly, Type c helps with small electrical fires. This shows not only the importance of our inspections but our education of extinguishers and smoke alarms for our clients fire safety.
Some fire extinguishers are not serviceable, and while they can be tagged through a fire extinguisher inspection they cannot be recharged or have the cylinder inspected by a service technician. The extinguisher in this picture is missing the inspection tag, and the manufacturing year of the extinguisher as seen at the bottom of the cylinder is over one year old.
While there are no illustrations showing specifically fire extinguishers, the placement location and accessibility of the fire extinguisher in a residence is important. While many homeowners may hide an extinguisher in the back of the cabinet under the sink, a better placement would be near an egress door.
Inspecting fire extinguishers on a regular basis can prevent significant life and property losses. Without proper inspection, these devices may not be accessible, or work as intended. A properly working extinguisher is also an important part of any home safety plan.
Fire extinguishers are designed for different fuel sources, and should be matched for the environment they be used in. They include A class Fires that result from ordinary combustibles, such as wood and paper. B class Fires that result from combustible liquids, such as kerosene, gasoline, oil, and grease,. C class Fires of an electrical nature. These result from the combustion of circuit breakers, wires, outlets, and other electrical devices and equipment. D class Fires resulting from combustible metals, such as sodium, potassium, titanium, and magnesium. These fires occur mostly in chemical laboratories and are rare in most other environments. K class These types of fires consume vegetable oils, animal fats, and generally happen in kitchens.
During this inspection I found one portable fire extinguisher in this home it was by the back door in the garage I did note this in my inspection I also recommended that a fire extinguisher in installed in the kitchen.
I learned a lot of things during this course regarding portable fire extinguisher including inspecting the hose, tags , labels, placement. I wasn’t aware that fire extinguisher required monthly inspections I will also recommend all home owners have fire extinguisher installed.
This extinguisher is a 6 liter wet chemical that is installed for restaurants it must be inspected monthly or more frequently when needed calcium chloride or antifreeze is not permitted as extinguisher agent the pressure Hague should read between 50-100
The installation of gas shut off valves for gas fired appliances must be installed with aga approved valves and same size as supply piping also the gas valve shall be located in the same room as appliance and serve one 1 appliance
Fire extinguishers are an important safety device found in a home but must be properly maintained and used to be effective. Extinguishers come in different class ratings: A,B,C,D, and K, which correspond to their intended use. It is important to use the correct type of extinguisher with the type of fire to be extinguished. The extinguisher should be inspected for: accessibility, charge, hose condition, pull pin security, visible damage, and any modifications.
The fire extinguisher was located in an easily accessible location adjacent to the kitchen. There were no obstructions in the room housing the extinguisher. There were no signs of physical damage and the hose appeared to be intact. The pin was properly in place.
I observed during my routine monthly inspection of a portable fire extinguisher that it didn’t have a monthly service tag attached and that it was sitting directly on the floor, both of which is not allowable. However, everything was as it should be.
I learned that an important part of fire safety is learning the different types of extinguishers to use for different types of fires. It’s as important as inspecting the label, hose, pin, cable, and the pressure gauge. Also learned that without a monthly maintenance tag that the expiration date isn’t always credible.
The instructions on the fire extinguisher are clear and legible. Hose appears to be free of any cracks or holes. Needle is located in the “green zone.” No tamper seal is not present. An inspection card has not been completed or attached.
Upon reading “Fire Extinguisher Maintenance and Inspection” I learned not all fire extinguishers can be used for all types of fires. There are 5 different types of extinguishers, all that serve very different combustible materials, and depending on the class of fire extinguisher, the type of materials and method to suppress/kill are different.
The picture shown demonstrates a properly installed and functioning fire extinguisher. The fire extinguisher is in an unobstructed designated place. The hose is in good working condition with no visible damage. The safety seals/tamper components are intact. The pressure indicator is within the green allowable area and the inspection tag is current, readable and accessible. Also the operating label for this equipment is clearly visible.
NFPA 10 requires that all fire extinguishers recieve a 6 year and 12 year maintenance check by a certified person. Monthly fire extinguisher inspections should be done by owners and do not need to be completed by a certified inspector.
The checklist items that should be inspected are as follows:
Location
No obstructions
Operating instructions are legible
Safety seals intact
Corrosion or damage
Pressure must be in green
Hose not cracked or broken
Not overdue for 6 or 12 year maintenance, or 5 year for CO2
The image I chose to comment on is for Commercial Kitchen Fire Protection. The two fire extinguishers are in a designated location; however, they seem to be partially obstructed by a table and behind a cooking or prepping station (the extinguishers dont appear to be portable, so I dont think obstruction is a problem). The operating labels and inspection tags/labels are clearly visible and readable. There is no noticeable damage to the equipment and the pressure gage seems to be in the acceptable green area.