What a hydrostatic test checks
An extinguisher is a pressure vessel. Over the years, corrosion, dents and heat can weaken the shell from the inside, and checking the gauge once a month won't show that kind of damage. The hydro test catches it first.
The technician discharges the unit and takes the valve off. The empty cylinder is filled with water and brought up to the test pressure for its type, then held there while the tech watches for leaks, bulging or permanent stretch in the metal. Water doesn't compress. So a failure won't explode. A cylinder that fails is condemned. One that passes is dried, recharged and marked with the new test date.
When each extinguisher is due
The interval depends on what's inside the cylinder:
- Dry chemical (ABC, BC and similar): every 12 years
- Carbon dioxide (CO2): every 5 years
- Water: every 5 years
- Wet chemical (Class K, used in kitchens): every 5 years
Stored-pressure dry chemical units also get an internal teardown in year 6, so a well-kept unit gets opened twice in each 12-year cycle (once for the teardown and once for the hydro test). Look at the cylinder. The last test date is stamped on it or printed on a label. No date? Assume it's due. If your annual extinguisher certification is coming up too, the two jobs can usually be done on the same visit.
Who looks at the dates in Malibu
Inspections here are a County job. Malibu has no fire prevention bureau of its own, so under the city's contract with Los Angeles County, the County of Los Angeles Fire Department does the prevention and inspection work along with fire response. An overdue cylinder is easy to spot, since the tag and the stamp sit in plain view. If you're unsure what your building needs, ask the County fire inspector.
In California, the work has to be done by a firm and technician licensed by the State Fire Marshal. Our California work is done by Hedrick Fire Protection, which holds C-16 and C-10 contractor licenses and is licensed by the State Fire Marshal under Title 19 for portable extinguisher service.
Hydrostatic test or hydrant flow test?
People mix up the two names. A hydrostatic test checks an extinguisher shell. A flow test measures how much water a hydrant delivers, and hydrant questions make up the biggest share of the calls we get from Malibu. If you need a flow test, or a GPM figure for a will-serve letter from Los Angeles County Waterworks District 29, go to annual fire hydrant testing in Malibu.
For the rest of your extinguishers, see fire extinguisher service in Malibu and extinguisher refills, or start from our Malibu fire protection page. Outside the city, we also do hydrostatic testing across Los Angeles County and hydrostatic testing in Orange County.
Booking a test
Count your units first. Note the type of each one, and if a label is hard to read, take a photo of it. For more information about hydrostatic testing in Malibu call us at (213) 568-0188 or email us at socal@1profire.com
Malibu hydrostatic testing questions
Do you service Malibu and the Santa Monica Mountains area?
Malibu is one of our listed service areas, including ZIP codes 90263, 90264 and 90265. If your property is up a canyon road, give us the address when you call.
How do I know if my extinguisher is due?
Check the stamp or label on the cylinder. Dry chemical units go 12 years between tests, and CO2, water and wet chemical units go 5.
Is a hydrostatic test the same as a hydrant flow test?
No. One checks an extinguisher shell under water pressure, and the other measures how much water a hydrant can deliver.
What happens if a cylinder fails?
It's out of service for good. The unit gets replaced.
Get a hydrostatic testing quote in Malibu
- Tell us how many extinguishers you have
- Tell us the type of each one: dry chemical, CO2, water or wet chemical
- Send a photo of any label you can't read