Are Your Fire Extinguishers Ready for Action?

Are Your Fire Extinguishers Ready for Action?

As a Chicago property owner, you must know the fire safety requirements for your building at all times. One of those requirements, in an apartment building, business or condominium association, is to have working fire extinguishers available. There is a lot that goes into making these tools ready for the job should a fire break out in your property.

As the owner it is up to you to make sure your extinguishers are compliant and ready for action should the need arise. What are you responsible for? What does it take to make sure these units are up and running should a small fire break out in the building? Below you’ll learn some of the requirements and how you can make sure that your extinguishers are ready to go no matter what may happen.

What Type of Extinguisher Do You Need?

When it comes to fire extinguishers in a Chicago property, there are a variety of options depending on what type of fire you’re trying to put out. For example, an extinguisher designed to put out a grease fire is what is required for any type of commercial kitchen area. They are also classified by the certain type of agent that is put out to extinguish the fire. Some of them contain water, CO2, certain types of gasses, foam and other agents.

For a Chicago property, there is typically only one type that is required for you to have on hand at all times. There is a model that expels a dry chemical that will put out any fire in the building. This means that you can easily maintain all the extinguishers at once since they are the same type and will be on the same schedule for maintenance. It makes it easier for you as the property owner in Chicago to have this single type in use.

Maintenance Needed

There are legal requirements in place for you to follow to be in compliance with fire safety regulations in Chicago. Those include a variety of maintenance schedules, checks, and replacements once the unit is expired.

Take a look here at some of the maintenance items needed to keep in compliance:

• Annual Maintenance – This includes a 10-point inspection every year to make sure the unit is running smoothly and is certified for your fire inspection. Items that are covered include a visual check of the unit, mounting brackets being checked and secured, certification for fire safety compliance, and checking the weight and pressure inside the unit.
• 6-Year Maintenance Inspection – Six years from the date of manufacture, the unit has to be fully discharged, inspected internally and externally and then recharged before being put back into use. This is typically done at the service shop instead of in your Chicago condominium.
• 12-Year Testing – At the 12-year mark, there is something called Hydrostatic Testing that must be performed. This is to test the integrity of the unit itself and is required by the NFPA. This is a very costly test to have performed so it is in your best interest to simply have the unit replaced every six years.

You can rest easy knowing your units are in compliance and maintained properly at all times when you work with the Chicago fire safety experts at Connected Fire Safety Services. Contact them today to find out more about what is required for your fire extinguishers and make sure your building, and your tenants, are protected.