Do Fire Extinguishers Expire?

Every household should have at least one fire extinguisher in case of emergencies and for some peace of mind. While they are infinitely useful and can save lives, fire extinguishers are imperfect and won’t always work as well as intended. So, do fire extinguishers expire?

Fire extinguishers expire within 10-12 years, but you must follow the expiration date label on your tank. You can find the expiration date on a tag, sticker, or instructional diagram on your fire extinguisher. Bring your expired fire extinguisher to a hazardous waste facility or the fire department so that they can safely dispose of it.

Otherwise, it is unsafe to throw away expired fire extinguishers because they are classified as hazardous waste. Don’t attempt to use an expired fire extinguisher because it likely won’t help in an emergency as the chemicals settle at the bottom. Follow along as we explore how and when fire extinguishers expire and what you should do with them

Fire extinguishers typically only last 10 years, but they can last for 12 years or longer in some cases. Manufacturers recommend that you replace your fire extinguishers every 10 years, however. It isn’t worth it to keep a fire extinguisher past its expiration date.

An expired fire extinguisher cannot work properly and it likely won’t help you in an emergency. The loss of pressure can prevent you from extinguishing even a small fire in most cases. That is why you should always adhere to the expiration date sticker on your fire extinguisher so you can replace it before it’s too late.

The easiest way to tell if your fire extinguisher is expired is to check the sticker. You can find the expiration date printed on the extinguisher itself, on the directions diagram, or on a tag that is connected to the top. The expiration date will be located in any of those three locations, and you should strictly adhere to it.

Replace your fire extinguisher if there is no information about the expiration date anywhere on the tank. This is a sign that it has either been tampered with or that the sticker or tag was removed at some point. It’s not worth the risk that your extinguisher could unexpectedly expire if you don’t know the expiration date.

You can also tell that a fire extinguisher is expired if you use it and very little or even nothing comes out of the nozzle. Fire extinguishers rely on pressure to expel their contents to extinguish a flame. However, fire extinguishers lose their pressure over time until there is virtually none once it expires, and that’s a sign that you should replace it.

Sometimes, a fire extinguisher will briefly work at a limited capacity if it’s expired. A fire extinguisher cannot spray far when the pressure leaves upon expiration, but some fluid or foam may come out. However, an expired fire extinguisher isn’t likely to work.

You shouldn’t use an expired fire extinguisher even if it still has some pressure. There is no guarantee that it will retain fire for as long as you need to use it in an emergency, so the extinguisher is likely useless. The chemicals in a fire extinguisher generally sink to the bottom of the tank when it expires, so it won’t work as intended even with pressure.

Dry powder fire extinguishers do expire, but they last longer than the alternative in most cases. A dry fire extinguisher can last for as long as 15 years. Dry fire extinguishers are unique in that they combat the chemical reaction of fire and essentially smother the flames.

It’s ideal to have a traditional fire extinguisher as well as one that is loaded with dry powder. Dry powder fire extinguishers are only recommended for class D fires. This includes electrical fires, solids such as wood and paper, and flammable fluids.

The first thing that you should do with an expired fire extinguisher is to make sure that all of the pressure is gone. Hold the lever to expel the remaining pressure now that your fire extinguisher is useless. After that, you can either take it to somewhere that collects hazardous waste or to your local fire department.

Many fire departments let you bring in your old fire extinguishers so that they can safely dispose of them. However, it is wise to call their non-emergency line in advance to make sure that they will accept your expired fire extinguisher. You should never throw an expired fire extinguisher in the trash or recycling bins at your house.

They have the potential to burst which can injure people such as trash collection professionals. Fire extinguishers also contain chemicals that can be dangerous if they leak into the streets or sewers. They are bad for the environment and that is why officials consider them toxic waste.

Fire extinguishers can’t be on the floor because they will quickly degrade. This can shorten the lifespan of your fire extinguisher and make it expire before it’s 10 years old. The canister itself can corrode or suffer damage from heavy foot traffic.

Keep your fire extinguisher in a central location of your home so that you can elevate it. That way, it will be less exposed to the elements and foot traffic that could inadvertently damage it. You will also be able to easily access it from several points of your home if it is in a central location.

Never store a fire extinguisher near a heat source such as a water heater, furnace, oven, or stove. This could cause the extinguisher to degrade and or burst due to the pressure within it.

Fire extinguishers expire within 10-12 years, if not sooner depending on storage and usage. They lose their pressure over time so that the extinguisher cannot expel the chemicals. The chemicals can also settle at the bottom of the extinguisher, and they typically get stuck.

Look for the sticker or label on your fire extinguisher that tells you the expiration date. Ideally, you should replace your fire extinguisher right before it expires so that you have a working unit on hand. Contact a hazardous waste plant or fire department to see if they will accept your expired fire extinguisher.