Fire extinguisher installation and maintenance
We mount fire extinguishers where people can reach them, then keep them in working order with regular checks and servicing, across the Galle, Matara and Hambantota districts.
The short answer: mount each extinguisher on a bracket near an exit and close to the risk it covers. International codes (BS 5306-3 and NFPA 10) say to look at it once a month and have it serviced by a competent person once a year. Refill it after any use. Some types also need deeper work at 5, 6, 10 or 12 years.
Where extinguishers should go
- Near exits and on escape routes, so people pick one up on their way out and never walk towards a fire to reach it.
- Close to the risk, not right beside it: near the kitchen, the electrical board or the generator, but where a fire there won't cut you off from it.
- On a bracket or stand, never on the floor, low enough that any adult can lift it off easily. Heavier units go lower.
- In sight and clear: nothing stacked in front of it, and a sign above it if it can't be seen from across the room.
| Place | Usual type | Where to mount it |
|---|---|---|
| Kitchen with cooking oil | Wet chemical, plus a fire blanket for pan fires | Near the kitchen door, a few steps from the cooker |
| Electrical board, computers | CO2 (leaves no residue) | Next to the board or at the room's door |
| Rooms, corridors, offices | Water or foam; CO2 where there are electrics too | Near exits and along escape routes |
| Generator room, fuel store | Dry powder (ABC) or CO2; foam also suits a fuel store | Just outside the door |
| Car, van or three-wheeler | Small dry powder (ABC) | In a bracket, within the driver's reach |
General guidance. The right types, sizes and numbers depend on your premises: a consultation visit works that out for a whole site.
Monthly checks you can do yourself
Both the UK code (BS 5306-3) and the US code (NFPA 10) ask the person responsible for the building to look at every extinguisher at least once a month. It takes a minute each. Check that:
- it is in its place, easy to see, and nothing is blocking it
- the safety pin and tamper seal are intact
- the gauge needle is in the green (CO2 units have no gauge; they are weighed at the service)
- there is no rust, dent, leak or crack, and the hose or horn is not blocked
- the tag shows a service within the last 12 months
Date and initial the tag or record card. If anything looks wrong, don't rely on that extinguisher: WhatsApp us a photo of it and its label.
Used it, even for a second? Refill it
Any extinguisher that has been used, even a short burst, must be refilled. A part-used one can lose the rest of its pressure and fail next time. How refilling works.
The yearly service
BS 5306-3 and NFPA 10 both call for a service every 12 months, by a competent person working to the manufacturer's instructions. That usually means checking the pressure (or weighing CO2 units), looking over the cylinder, valve, hose and pin for corrosion and damage, checking it is still the right type for its spot, then a new tamper seal and a dated tag.
Longer-interval work: 5, 6, 10 and 12 years
| When | BS 5306-3 (UK) | NFPA 10 (US) |
|---|---|---|
| Every month | Visual check by the person responsible | Inspection, at least every 30 days |
| Every 12 months | Basic service by a competent person | Maintenance |
| Every 5 years | Extended service: water, foam and powder | Pressure (hydrostatic) test: CO2, water, foam and wet chemical |
| Every 6 years | — | Stored-pressure dry powder: emptied and checked inside |
| Every 10 years | Overhaul: CO2 | — |
| Every 12 years | — | Pressure (hydrostatic) test: dry powder |
These are international codes, not Sri Lankan law. We know of no published Sri Lankan legal interval, so follow the manufacturer's instructions on the label too.
An extended service or pressure test empties the extinguisher, so it is refilled afterwards. Tell us when each one was made and last tested, and we'll tell you what is due. The maintenance schedule guide has the full schedule.
Near the sea? Check more often
Salt air and humidity on the southern coast are hard on metal: rust can weaken a cylinder, jam a pin and eat through a bracket. As general advice, not a code rule, check extinguishers on a beach-front verandah, villa terrace or boat more often than monthly, keep them under cover, and have rust looked at straight away.
Keep a record
Each extinguisher should carry a tag showing when it was last serviced and by whom. Keep a simple list too: where each one is, its type and size, and every service, refill and test. Good records help when the local authority fire service or the UDA inspects for a fire certificate, which guest houses, boutique villas and hotels need at every yearly SLTDA licence renewal. What hotels and guest houses need.
How a maintenance visit works
Tell us what you have
WhatsApp us the address and a photo of each extinguisher's label (type, size and dates), or call us.
Get the price first
We tell you what each one is due for and what it costs, before any work starts.
On-site check
Each extinguisher is checked against the manufacturer's instructions, along with its position, sign and access.
Refills and further work
Anything used, low on pressure, damaged or due for longer-interval work is listed with its price. We only do that extra work once you agree.
Tags and records updated
Each serviced extinguisher gets a dated tag, and your record shows what was done and when the next service is due.
Common questions
How often should a fire extinguisher be serviced in Sri Lanka?
No Sri Lankan legal interval has been published that we know of. Most firms follow the manufacturer and international codes: a monthly look by you, a yearly service by a competent person, and longer-interval work depending on the type.
Is a service the same as a refill?
No. A service checks the extinguisher is in working order. It needs a refill after any use, if it has lost pressure or weight, and after an extended service or pressure test.
What does maintenance cost?
It depends on how many extinguishers you have, their types and sizes, and what each one is due for. Send us photos of the labels and we'll give you the price before any work starts.
Do you give a fire certificate after servicing?
No. Fire certificates are issued by the local authority fire service or the UDA. Serviced extinguishers with up-to-date records are part of getting ready for that inspection.
Arrange installation or a service
- 076 979 7866 (Call)
- WhatsApp 076 979 7866
- [email protected]
- 159/Bokkaramullagoda, Uluvitika, Galle
- Reg. No. 261023028
Updated: 27 October 2026