How often do I need to recharge or refill my fire extinguisher?

How often do I need to recharge or refill my fire extinguisher?

Q. How often do I need to recharge or refill my fire extinguisher? 

A. Immediately after using the fire extinguisher. 


Common misconceptions: 

People often mistake fire extinguishers to be re-usable like an aerosol spray can, where you can spray a bit today, and continue using it until it is empty. That is not the case as powder particles are hundred times larger than air molecules. After you have stopped spraying, there are still powder particles stuck inside the valve head. This causes the propellant to leak out of the extinguisher over time. It may take several days for the gas to totally leak out. 


This question is often asked together with: 

How often do I need to perform pressure testing for my fire extinguisher?


Because during pressure testing or hydrostatic testing, the procedure is to empty the fire extinguisher, perform pressure test, then refill/recharge the extinguisher with new powder/carbon dioxide/foam/etc. 

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