Palatine FD reminds of fire extinguisher life span

According to the National Fire Protection Association, "rechargeable fire extinguishers must be emptied and subjected to an internal examination every six years" whereas "disposable extinguishers must be removed from service 12 years from the date of manufacture."

Additionally, fire extinguishers should be replaced if they exhibit any of these signs: loss of pressure on the pressure gauge despite being unused; cracked or clogged nozzles; wobbly or broken handle; and damage to the shell.

Old extinguishers must be disposed of properly and are considered hazardous waste.

Extinguishers are not accepted at curbside refuse pickup and some recycling centers will not take extinguishers.

The Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County (swancc.org) has a list of recycling options, including: Henrichsen's Fire and Safety Equipment 563 N. Wolf Road in Wheeling (charges $4 per item, henrichsensfire.net); Chicago Household Chemicals and Computer Recycling Center, 1150 N North Branch St. Chicago (chicago.gov); U.S. Fire and Safety Equipment Company, 2412 Millennium Dr., Elgin (charges $3 per item, usfsco.com).