Hydrostatic Testing in Riverside County, California

1. California
2. Riverside County
3. Hydrostatic Testing

Check the cylinder before an inspector does

Every extinguisher has a pressure-test deadline. The clock starts at manufacture or at the last hydrostatic test, and it keeps running whether or not the unit has ever been used. Miss the date and the extinguisher is out of service. A full gauge doesn't change that.

NFPA 10 sets the interval by extinguisher type:

• Stored-pressure dry chemical: a hydrostatic test every 12 years, plus an internal teardown every 6 years.
• CO2: every 5 years.
• Water: every 5 years.
• Wet chemical (Class K): every 5 years.

Kitchens often get caught out. A kitchen with a hood suppression system also needs a Class K extinguisher, and that wet chemical unit is on the five-year schedule, so it can come due years before the dry chemical units in the dining room and back office.

Not sure what you have? Look at the label. The extinguisher type and its last test date are marked on the unit itself.

What happens during a hydro test

Most of the job is inspection. The technician empties the extinguisher, takes out the valve and checks the cylinder inside and out for corrosion, dents and other damage. A visibly damaged cylinder isn't tested. It's pulled from service.

A sound cylinder is filled with water and held at its test pressure to see whether the shell holds. If it passes, it's dried, recharged, reassembled and tagged. If it fails, it's done.

Most sites have a mix of units on different schedules: some are due for a hydro test, some for the six-year teardown, and many only for annual maintenance by a certified technician. Annual maintenance is part of our fire extinguisher service in Riverside County.

Which fire office covers your building

Riverside County has no single fire marshal. Which office covers you depends on your address.

• Unincorporated areas and County Fire partner cities: the Riverside County Fire Department works with CAL FIRE to serve unincorporated county land and 20 partner cities and districts. Its Office of the County Fire Marshal does plan review and construction inspection for those areas, plus fire and life-safety inspections of state-regulated occupancies.
• Partner cities with their own fire marshal: Banning, Beaumont, Indio, Lake Elsinore, Menifee, Moreno Valley, Temecula and Wildomar use County Fire but run their own fire marshal offices. Coachella does too. Its City Fire Marshal Office handles prevention, plan review and inspections.
• Cities with their own fire departments: Blythe, Calimesa, Canyon Lake, Cathedral City, Corona, Hemet, Murrieta, Palm Springs and Riverside. Idyllwild has its own fire protection district.

Got a correction notice for an overdue test? Call the office that issued it. Ask how long you have to fix it.

Who can do the work

California requires extinguisher service to be done by a firm and a technician licensed by the State Fire Marshal under Title 19. Our California work is done by Hedrick Fire Protection, which holds C-16 (fire protection) and C-10 (electrical) contractor licenses and is State Fire Marshal licensed under Title 19 for portable extinguisher service and for inspection, testing and maintenance of water-based systems.

Riverside County is in our service area. Tell us how many extinguishers you have, what types they are, and where they're mounted. Call (213) 568-0188 or email socal@1profire.com to set a date.

To see how an extinguisher service day goes in the county, read about our extinguisher certification for a 60-vendor rodeo event in Norco.

Other pages that may help

• All fire protection services in Riverside County
• Extinguisher training for Riverside County staff
• Kitchen hood suppression service in Riverside County
• Hydrostatic testing in Temecula
• Hydrostatic testing in Moreno Valley
• Hydrostatic testing in Palm Springs

Hydrostatic testing questions

Is a hydro test the same as annual maintenance?

No. Annual maintenance is a yearly check by a certified technician, recorded on the tag. A hydro test is a pressure test of the cylinder that happens every 5 or 12 years, depending on the type.

What happens if my cylinder fails?

It's taken out of service. You'll need a replacement.

My building is in Temecula. Does the county fire marshal cover me?

Temecula uses County Fire for fire service but has its own fire marshal office. Check inspection questions and deadlines with that office.

Can my staff do any of the checks?

Yes. NFPA 10 expects the owner to do a visual check every month. Annual service and hydro tests have to be done by a licensed technician.