Called 15 year grandma tenant this morning to see if the grass needed cutting yet. It does. I always ask is anything broken needing repair? She says ceiling fan is clicking as it rotates. I guess that would be a bearing. Nothing else. Just as I was about to hang up she says, oh, and the fire extinguisher fell off the wall and the bottom came off and the powder went all over and it took me two weeks to clean it up. These are the five pounders that need to be checked and tagged each year. Local ordinance requires them starting this year. Inspection coming up next month. OK, so she says she bumped it with something and it fell off the wall and it's outside in a bag. So I called the company I got it from, Fyr Fyter and told them what happened. They said that was unusual and bring it back. Well they looked at it and found that the pin had been pulled and it was discharged. So I got another and went back expecting to be looking for the site of a fire. So I pointed that out to the tenant. Here's what really happened. There is a yellow plastic connector around the pin and the unit to keep the pin from coming out. To me that's ridiculous to put a zip tie as an obstacle to the tenant getting a fire out quickly. So I removed the tie when the handyman put up the extinguisher. Tenant tried to store a step ladder behind it and the leg of the step ladder got caught and pulled the pin spraying white powder all over. Now, those of you who have knowledge of these things, what's the right thing to do here? Leave the zip tie on so accidents don't happen like this or take it off because it could possibly cause a delay using it if there is an actual fire? When was the tenant going to tell me? The unit was without protection for two weeks. I explained to her that these things are really important and not to store anything around it or near it and she agreed. She was going to call the fire department and ask how to dispose of it instead of calling me. I have never charged her for any damage to anything. Things just break sometimes and I know that. Why do tenants lie? Embarrassment at their own stupidity is my guess.

I always carried a dry chemical extinguisher in my car trunk, along with the usual tools and jumper cables. One day I saw a van beside the road with flames coming from the hood area. I was able to put the fire out with one extinguisher. I was really lucky. The key point is this: When you are excited/ frightened, your strength increases so much you will not notice the tamper seal.

The little zip tie thing is supposed to be there. It is easily broken to use but keeps the pin from slipping out and getting lost.

Negligence.

Whoever thought (for any reason) it was a good idea

to remove the beaded, breakaway, plastic tamper seal,

on the fire extinguisher,

is responsible for its (preventable) discharge.

It was put there to prevent what just happened.

Sounds like another (strange) pattern of behaviors

that keeps us all entertained.

All the ones I know about, even in commercial buildings, have the little tie to keep the pin in place until you intentionally pull it.

Seal should be left in place. It breaks off very easy.

I was working in the shop one day where I worked at a few years ago and a hose busted on a fire extinguisher hanging on the wall. That powder goes everywhere. What a mess.

Get metal valve extinguisher and you can refill rather than replace them.

Get metal valve extinguisher and you can refill rather than replace them.

Good to know, learned something new. I have always thought the zip tie should be removed. Thought it was there for shipping or something.

I also see an advantage. Less chance kids will want to try it out when mom not home.

We get a LOT of car and motor home fires out here, I guess due to the heat. I carry two old extinguishers in my truck, just in case I or someone else needs one. Never used one for real. I've fired off a couple old ones over my life to see if they still worked after like 15 years, and showing recharge. They did.

It's been a few years since I used one but as I recall the little yellow ties are designed to break with a good tug. I guess I need to go look at mine.