How To Safely Dispose Of Expired Fire Extinguishers - Impact Fire

Subscribe How to Safely Dispose of Expired Fire Extinguishers

July 2 2020

Having a fire extinguisher ready and available is the first step in fire safety. But how do you know when it’s time to replace, recharge, or completely dispose of it? Something as small as a broken pin or a rusty cylinder can have significant impacts on the extinguisher’s ability to function correctly, and can pose a real threat to people and property alike in the event of a fire.

Does Your Fire Extinguisher Need to be Replaced?

When deciding if a fire extinguisher needs to be disposed of, it’s important to check if it can still be used or recharged. With regular maintenance and an appropriate inspection schedule, fire extinguishers can last over 20 years.

Maintenance & Inspection

Regular fire extinguishers don’t have a strict expiration date. However, disposable fire extinguishers—which can’t be recharged or refilled—should be replaced every 12 years. While regular fire extinguishers don’t face the same lifetime, they may become obsolete or depressurize, making them inoperable.

In order to assess the condition and effectiveness of a fire extinguisher, be sure to conduct regular inspections. Visual inspections can help to determine if there is something clearly wrong or broken about the fire extinguisher, but annual inspections by a professional fire safety technician are necessary to assess its functionality.

When to Replace

During an inspection, a professional fire safety technician will perform an in-depth assessment of the fire extinguisher’s condition, including the gauge pressure and any damage to the external shell or valve.

Facility managers can also call in a professional between inspections if something looks off. Some signs that the fire extinguisher needs to be replaced include:

• Slow loss of pressure
• Rust or corrosion
• Excessive damage
• Illegible instructions

The fire safety technician will also conduct hydrostatic testing to measure the integrity of the fire extinguisher’s cylinder. If the fire extinguisher fails this test, it is unusable and should be replaced immediately.

How to Dispose of a Fire Extinguisher

If a fire extinguisher is deemed unsafe or inoperable in any way, it should be disposed of properly. Because of the chemicals contained inside the cylinder, it cannot simply be thrown away or recycled with other household products. Instead the disposal depends on the condition of the fire extinguisher.

• If it still has charge, the local fire protection professional should be able to help dispose of it in an appropriate manner.
• If it is empty, the local recycling facility will provide directions for recycling the steel canister. To make sure there is no pressure remaining in the cylinder, squeeze the lever and remove the extinguisher head.

Safety First… And Last

A fire extinguisher is an essential element of any facility’s fire prevention plan. However, in the event of a fire, a malfunctioning or expired fire extinguisher can endanger the lives of personnel and the integrity of surrounding property. It is essential for these security devices to be properly maintained and appropriately recharged in order to serve their purpose.

While a visual inspection may provide an initial assessment that something is wrong with a fire extinguisher, thorough inspections and maintenance procedures should only be conducted by fire prevention professionals.

Subscribe to the Impact Fire Blog

Never miss a blog article. Sign up to receive one email per week.

Subscribe Here

Liked this post? Don’t forget to share.

Recent Blog Posts

Pre-Action Sprinkler Systems: How They Work and When You Need One

December 16 2025

Read More >

Carbon Dioxide Fire Extinguishers: What Building Owners Need To Know

December 10 2025

Read More >

Why Your Team Needs Fire Safety Education

December 4 2025

Read More >

Subscribe to the Impact Fire Blog

Stay in the know about all things fire protection and life safety. Sign up to receive our latest blog content to keep your business, employees, and assets safe.

No thanks, I’m not interested "Close this dialog window"

© Impact Fire Services, LLC | All rights reserved

Contact Us

CORPORATE HQ

1 Chisholm Trail Rd, Suite 330

Round Rock, TX 78681

Tel: (800) 862-1301

Products & Services

• Access Control Systems
• Backflow Devices
• Business Security Systems
• Central Station Monitoring
• Distributed Antenna Systems
• Dryer Vent Cleaning
• Emergency | Exit Lighting
• Fire Alarm Systems
• Fire Extinguishers
• Fire Pumps
• Fire Sprinklers
• Gas Station Suppression
• HVAC Air Duct Cleaning
• Inspection and Preventative Maintenance
• Kitchen Exhaust Cleaning
• Kitchen Fire Suppression
• Passive Fire Protection
• Special Hazards

Resources

• Blog
• Guides
• Impact Insights Newsletter
• News

Locations

• Mobile, AL
• Phoenix, AZ
• Prescott, AZ
• Denver, CO
• Torrington, CT
• Willimantic, CT
• Destin, FL
• Miami, FL
• Naples, FL
• Orlando, FL
• Tampa, FL
• Venice, FL
• Atlanta, GA
• Gainesville, GA
• Boston, MA
• Southborough, MA
• Springfield, MA
• Worcester, MA
• Las Vegas, NV
• Nashua, NH
• Hackensack, NJ
• Long Island, NY
• Queens, NY
• Charlotte, NC (North)
• Charlotte, NC (South)
• Greensboro, NC
• Raleigh, NC
• Winston-Salem, NC
• Harrisburg, PA
• Reading, PA
• Charleston, SC
• Greenville, SC
• Austin, TX
• Beaumont, TX
• College Station, TX
• Dallas, TX
• Deer Park, TX
• Houston, TX
• Lubbock, TX
• San Antonio, TX
• Waco, TX
• Salt Lake City, UT
• Burlington, VT

About Us

Careers

Corporate Social Responsibility

Pay Your Bill

ServiceTrade Portal

Company Store

Terms of Use

Privacy Policy

© 2026 IMPACT FIRE SERVICES, LLC

All Rights Reserved

(720) 713-3898