I haven't seen this PSA on here for a while. Here's your groundhog day (what's left of it) reminder to turn over your home fire extinguishers and give 'em a wump or two on bottom with a rubber mallet to keep them from caking-up.

Never heard of that. Thanks!

Learned about that here a few years back, in a Kidde recall thread.

Daily exercise for the little 5 pound bottles we keep on our fork lifts at work. Even made it to the pre shift inspection form.

True story -

5 years ago I was in my local CERT class and for the week of fire training, I asked the captain if I could bring my MIL's 18 year old 5lbs ABC. He said sure but said it wouldn't work because of age and compacted powder, and the pressure gauge was likely stuck too. The MIL had it hanging in the garage and never touched it.

The following week I brought and it wasn't 18 years old but 28, as confirmed by the tag.

The fire captain brought it up to the front of the class and said this was an example of why you should check your extinguishers and if it worked, he'd have to change his way of thinking.

Outside in the fire barrel it worked, First time, each time until it was empty. The pressure gauge wasn't stuck and it worked as designed. It floored the captain. Full and strong spray like the other 5 lbs. units. I have it somewhere but I think it was an Acme.

There's video of it somewhere on YouTube taken by another student.

quote:

Originally posted by Flashlightboy:

...I think it was an Acme.

Alright, I'll admit -- I just spent 15 minutes looking on Google Images for a pic of a Coyote with a fire extinguisher.

For my full-time job I was a service manager for a fire protection company back when I lived in NJ.
That was part of what I did as an inspection/service to thousands of fire extinguishers every year.

Thank you for posting this. I had absolutely no idea this needed to be done.

It made me reach out to my kids to see if they even had extinguishers. I'll be buying a few, and working on the ones I have.

Worked in a shipyard and I have grabbed a caked fire extinguisher more than once. Got in the habit of while I was heading to the fire to smack it against the wall several times before pulling the pin.

quote:

Originally posted by Schmelby:
Never heard of that. Thanks!

+1

Just took a rubber mallet to the garage and kitchen fire extinguishers

Thanks, preten2b!

Just did the basement, garage, and kitchen fire extinguishers. I'll have to remember to get out to the µBarn and do that one, later, too.

Thanks for the reminder.

Thanks for the reminder!

Getting lax in old age.

Yep, very important. Thanks for the reminder.