Annual fire extinguisher service in Paramount
Most of the calls we get from Paramount are about fire extinguishers. Nine of thirteen, since 2015. Some callers had a fire department notice in hand that wanted the inspection finished by the next day, and others ran several separate job sites and asked whether a technician could service each unit where it hangs. Give us every address when you call. Ask about trip fees, too.
On the annual visit, the technician works through each unit in turn: the pressure gauge, the pin and tamper seal, the hose and nozzle, the label, the mounting, the weight, and the dates for internal maintenance and hydrostatic testing. Then the tag gets signed and dated. Units that fail get fixed or replaced.
One Paramount caller had an extinguisher that felt full yet failed to discharge during an actual fire. A unit can hold its weight while the valve has failed or the dry powder has packed solid, which is the kind of fault the annual check and the 6-year internal maintenance are meant to catch.
Fire extinguisher installation in Paramount
Start with the hazard. Extinguishers are rated by class: A for ordinary combustibles, B for flammable liquids, C for energized electrical equipment, D for combustible metals and K for cooking oils and fats. ABC units cover three of those. A commercial kitchen with a hood suppression system also needs a Class K portable unit near the cooking line, and placement, mounting height and travel distance for every unit follow NFPA 10 and Section 906 of the California Fire Code. Changed the use of a space? Ask us to recheck the classes.
The schedule each extinguisher follows
Each unit runs on its own calendar.
- Monthly: a quick look by the owner or staff to confirm the gauge reads in the green, the pin and seal are in place and nothing blocks access.
- Yearly: licensed maintenance and a new tag.
- Every 6 years: teardown for stored-pressure dry chemical units.
- Every 12 years: hydro for dry chemical.
- Every 5 years: hydrostatic testing for CO2, water and wet chemical (Class K) units.
Callers have asked about units from 1984 or earlier. The technician checks the manufacture date and type of each one before deciding whether it can stay in service. If a unit is past due for a hydro test, or might cost more to test than to replace, ask for both prices when you book. Our pages on hydrostatic testing in Paramount, fire extinguisher refill after a discharge and annual extinguisher certification cover each step in detail. Where you provide extinguishers for employees to use, OSHA 29 CFR 1910.157(g) requires training when they're hired and at least once a year after that, and we run fire extinguisher training in Paramount too.
Who services extinguishers, and who inspects in Paramount
In California, a firm and technician licensed by the State Fire Marshal must do extinguisher service. Our California work is performed by Hedrick Fire Protection, which holds C-16 (fire protection) and C-10 (electrical) contractor licenses and is licensed by the State Fire Marshal under Title 19 for portable extinguisher service and for inspection, testing and maintenance of water-based systems.
Paramount uses the Los Angeles County Fire Code as its own fire code. It adds no extinguisher amendments. Business fire inspections in the city are done by the Los Angeles County Fire Department's Fire Prevention Division, through its East Regional Office at 19030 Pioneer Blvd. in Cerritos, (562) 860-8014. Got a notice? Call that office about the notice itself.
To book the service in Paramount, call us at (213) 568-0188 or email us at socal@1profire.com. We also handle fire extinguisher service across Los Angeles County and Orange County, and the Paramount fire protection hub lists our other services in the city.
Paramount fire extinguisher questions
Do you service the Paramount area?
Yes. Paramount and the 90723 ZIP code are in our service area.
Do extinguishers over 12 years old need hydrostatic testing?
Dry chemical units do, every 12 years. The schedule above lists the other types.
What is a Class K extinguisher, and is it portable?
Yes, it's portable. It's a wet chemical unit for cooking oils and fats, and any kitchen with a hood suppression system needs one.
Can I buy a cheaper extinguisher at a hardware store?
You can. It must be the right class for the hazard, and it still needs yearly service and a tag from a licensed technician.
Do you inspect kitchen suppression systems too?
Yes. Hedrick is licensed to install and service commercial kitchen hood suppression systems, which are inspected every 6 months. See our fire kitchen service page.