Questions you were afraid to ask...write them down

[Cinder & Smoke]

I'm glad you told me I should not test it, I might have done that.
I had no idea it could be used only once.

It makes sense it looks like snow, as it says "sneslukker" on it. Sne=snow.
So what comes out will be very cold, I take it.

Cold? ... Yuppers, REAL COLD!

"Testing" an extinguisher can have several meanings ...
ALL extinguishers need to be examined / inspected frequently ... just NOT "operated".

CO2 Extinguishers (like Randi's) get routine "inspections" by being WEIGHED on
a very accurate scale and the weight compared to the marked Full Weight.
CO2 extinguishers have a very heavy container - the difference between the
full weight and the Totally Empty weight is not a big difference.

Most extinguishers CAN be used then cleaned & refilled MANY Times ...
BUT they need to be cleaned & refilled by an "Extinguisher Technician" after
EVERY use or whenever the "seal" is broken on the operating trigger or lever.

WHY?
Even a very short operation or discharge allows some of the dry chemical (powder) or
the CO2 GAS (and sometimes bits of ice) to contaminate the valve sealing surfaces ...
potentially allowing the internal pressure to leak off.

The recharge Technician must bleed off any remaining pressure, disassemble the valve,
and CLEAN it before reassembling the valve onto the extinguisher.
Usually a refilled unit is kept for observation for at least 24 hours -
even carefully cleaned valves can be "leakers"!

An exception to the "can be cleaned & refilled MANY Times" theory ...
This is NOT true for the Super-Cheap discount store "specials" that usually
sell for $9.95 or so ... THOSE lil jems are made with plastic valves that
have a hard time leaving the factory without leaking! Hardly ANY extinguisher
refillers will even look at one of those units - they ARE for One-Time use followed
by a trip to the trash can. Pay more than $25.00 and you may be buying a
brass-valved, honestly RE-fillable dry chemical extinguisher.

No matter how much you spend on extinguishers - they're WORTH every penny!
Consider Pat's (cyber-sibes) recent "experience" ...
ONE lil extinguisher *saved* her $150,000+ house - not counting the contents!
Really PAYS to buy a few, LEARN how to use 'em, and keep them inspected & serviced.

But, as always, Dial 9-1-1 FIRST, and invite us Fire Guys ...
we LIKE drivin our BRTs!

[cyber-sibes]

No matter how much you spend on extinguishers - they're WORTH every penny!
Consider Pat's (cyber-sibes) recent "experience" ...
ONE lil extinguisher *saved* her $150,000+ house - not counting the contents!
Really PAYS to buy a few, LEARN how to use 'em, and keep them inspected & serviced.

But, as always, Dial 9-1-1 FIRST, and invite us Fire Guys ...
we LIKE drivin our BRTs!

ABSOLUTELY! I don't even want to think about how bad it could have been last Monday. And, thanks to your additional info, Phred, I'm putting in an insurance claim. The clean-up guys said the biggest problem was that all the smoke, soot, & dry chemicals are being "recycled" by the furnace, even though the fireguys blew out of the house. I never considered that the furnace ducts would have to be cleaned out. I now see the soot streaks on walls & ceilings, besides all the residue on all my furniture.
*I don't mean to be hijacking this thread* but this whole fire extinguisher thing is SO important. I might not even be here posting on PT if it weren't for that little 8-yr. old extinguisher we've been hauling around! Could have lost my computer, or worse.