One visit for every extinguisher in the building
Most of the calls we get from Santa Monica are about fire extinguishers. Usually the annual tag is running out. Sometimes a gauge has dropped into the red, or an inspection is coming up and nobody knows which units are still good enough to keep.
On a service visit the technician works through every unit you have, and each one gets an answer:
- Annual maintenance. The technician checks the gauge, pin, seal, hose, nozzle and cylinder, then signs a new tag.
- Six-year teardown. Stored-pressure dry chemical units are emptied, inspected inside and refilled.
- Hydrostatic testing. Due every 12 years for dry chemical and every 5 years for CO2, water and wet chemical units.
- Recharge. Any discharged unit gets refilled.
- Replacement. For cylinders that fail.
The dates matter. A unit can carry a fresh annual tag and still be overdue for its six-year teardown or its 12-year hydrostatic test, because the tag records the annual visit while the cylinder's own markings show its age. We read both. Our annual fire extinguisher certification page explains the tag itself, and fire extinguisher refill covers units that have been used.
Fire extinguisher installation in Santa Monica
Need new extinguishers? Maybe the space is new, or the old units are past saving. We supply certified units, help you pick the right class for each hazard, and mount them on the wall.
Most offices and shops use ABC dry chemical units, which cover ordinary combustibles (Class A), flammable liquids (Class B) and energized electrical equipment (Class C). Commercial kitchens with a hood suppression system also need a Class K extinguisher for cooking oils and fats; our kitchen fire protection service page covers the hood side.
How many do you need? That depends on the floor area, the type of hazard and how far someone would have to walk to reach one, so the technician walks the space before recommending a count. Placement follows California Fire Code Section 906.
Replacing an old unit at home? Santa Monica residents can drop used extinguishers at the city's Household Hazardous Waste facility at City Yards, 2500 Michigan Ave., on the second Wednesday of each month.
When the fire inspector looks at your tags
Santa Monica has its own fire department. Commercial fire inspections are handled by the Santa Monica Fire Department's Fire Prevention Division, which checks fire protection systems against the Santa Monica Fire Code and also issues annual fire permits. Questions about what your inspection will cover can go to the division at (310) 458-8915.
Who may service your extinguishers? Our California work is done by Hedrick Fire Protection, which holds C-16 fire protection and C-10 electrical contractor licenses and is licensed by the California State Fire Marshal under Title 19 for portable extinguisher service.
Staff count too. If you provide extinguishers for employees to use, OSHA requires training when they start and at least once a year after that; see our fire extinguisher training page.
What recent Santa Monica quotes looked like
Pricing is per extinguisher. Recent quotes in Santa Monica have run $30 to $40 per unit for annual service and certification, when the existing extinguisher passes inspection. Extra work adds to that.
- Six-year teardown: $15 extra per unit.
- 12-year hydrostatic test: $20 extra per unit, if the cylinder passes a visual check.
- New 5 lb extinguisher: $75 to $85 plus tax, with a one-year certification tag included.
- Wall mounting: $10 per unit.
Repairs or chemical replacement add cost. In apartment buildings and other multi-unit properties, you can gather the extinguishers in one spot before the technician arrives, so nobody has to knock on every door. Tell us where to park, too.
We cover Santa Monica ZIP codes 90401 through 90405. To book fire extinguisher service in Santa Monica, call (213) 568-0188 or email socal@1profire.com
Other services for the city are on our Santa Monica fire protection page. Outside the city, see fire extinguisher service in Los Angeles County and fire extinguisher service in Orange County.
What Santa Monica callers ask about extinguishers
My six-year or 12-year service comes due before the next annual visit. Should I do it now?
Usually, yes. Doing it at the annual visit keeps every date lined up, and a unit that passes its due date mid-year stays overdue until someone services it.
Can the fire department flag a unit that has a current tag?
Yes, if its six-year or 12-year work is past due. The annual tag covers only the annual visit. The cylinder's dates show the rest.
Do I need a new extinguisher or just a refill?
If the cylinder passes inspection and the unit is rechargeable, a recharge is usually enough. Many older units with plastic valve heads are disposable. Those get replaced.
Does the service fee still apply if I buy a new extinguisher?
Not on our recent quotes. The new unit's price included its annual certification tag and took the place of the per-unit service fee.
Why did my gauge drop into the red?
The unit lost pressure. Often it was used briefly and the valve no longer seals, or it has a slow leak somewhere in the head or hose. Either way, have it serviced before you count on it.