What Fire Extinguisher Service Really Costs

The short answer is: Annual fire extinguisher service costs vary. The variables are how far is the drive, how many units you have, what types you have, and how many need replaced.

For 1 extinguisher, annual inspection should start at $80-$120. For 10 extinguishers, it’d start closer to $200-$300. That’s assuming no replacements. If you need replacements for standard 10lb ABCs, 10 replacements might cost you $600-$800. Number of replacements is the most expensive variable.

But those are general numbers and don’t tell you exactly what you’ll pay for your building, or why costs vary so much between companies. Let’s dig into the details of fire extinguisher pricing. This is all based on my personal experience in the business.

What Fire Extinguisher Service Actually Includes

Fire extinguisher service isn’t one thing. It’s several different services you need at different intervals.

Annual Inspection (Required Every 12 Months)

What happens:

• Visual examination of extinguisher condition
• Pressure gauge check
• Seal and tamper indicator inspection
• Weight check for non-pressurized units
• Hose and nozzle examination
• New service tag with date and technician info
• Written report of findings

What you pay: $15-30 per extinguisher

Why the range: Volume pricing (more units = lower per-unit cost), location, and whether you’re bundling with other fire protection services.

6-Year Maintenance (Required Every 6 Years)

What happens:

• Complete discharge of extinguisher
• Internal examination of cylinder
• Thorough cleaning
• Seal and valve replacement
• Refill and repressurization
• New service tag
• Documentation

What you pay: $40-80 per extinguisher

Why it matters: This catches internal corrosion, valve deterioration, and powder caking before they cause failures. Skip this and your extinguishers might not work when needed.

12-Year Hydrostatic Testing (Required Every 12 Years)

What happens:

• Pressurized water test of cylinder integrity
• Complete discharge and examination
• Specialized testing equipment required
• Refill and repressurization
• New certification tag
• Documentation

What you pay: $50-100+ per extinguisher

Reality check: For extinguishers over 10 years old, replacement often costs less than testing. Most companies will recommend replacement at this point unless you have expensive specialized units.

Recharge After Use

What happens:

• Evaluation of discharge reason (to ensure proper use)
• Complete discharge of remaining agent
• Internal inspection
• Refill with appropriate agent
• Repressurization
• New service tag

What you pay:

• Small ABC dry chemical (5-10 lbs): $40-60
• Large ABC dry chemical (20+ lbs): $80-120
• Class K kitchen extinguishers: $100-150
• Clean agent (Halotron, FE-36): $150-300+
• CO2 extinguishers: $60-100

Timeline: Most companies can recharge within 24-48 hours. Emergency same-day service available from some vendors at premium pricing.

What Determines Your Actual Cost

Number of Extinguishers

1-10 extinguishers: $25-30 per unit for annual service

Small buildings pay premium per-unit pricing because service call costs are spread across fewer units.

11-25 extinguishers: $20-25 per unit

Medium buildings get some volume discount but still paying for individual attention.

26-50 extinguishers: $18-22 per unit

Larger buildings start seeing real economies of scale.

50+ extinguishers: $15-20 per unit

Big buildings get best pricing.

200+ extinguishers (large campuses): $12-18 per unit

True bulk pricing. Some companies bid these jobs separately.

Type of Extinguishers

Standard ABC dry chemical: Base pricing

95% of commercial buildings use these. Cheapest to service.

Class K kitchen extinguishers: +30-50% over standard

Wet chemical agent costs more, specialized inspection procedures.

Clean agent (Halotron, FE-36): +100-200% over standard

Agent is expensive, specialized training required.

CO2 extinguishers: +20-40% over standard

Weight testing required, high-pressure systems need extra care.

Wheeled units (50+ lbs): +50-100% over standard

Different inspection procedures, hose testing, larger recharge costs.

Specialized industrial units: Custom pricing

Dry powder, foam, specialty chemicals - depends entirely on type.

Geographic Location

Urban areas: Lower pricing

Competition between service companies, less travel time between jobs.

Suburban areas: Standard pricing

Most commercial fire protection companies operate here.

Rural areas: +15-25% premium

Longer travel times, fewer service providers, minimum service charges often apply.

Remote locations: Significant premium

Some companies won’t travel. Those who do charge travel time plus mileage.

Real-World Cost Examples

Small Office Building

Setup:

• 8 fire extinguishers (standard 10-lb ABC)

Annual cost: $160-240 ($20-30 per unit)

6-year maintenance (prorated annually): $56-80 ($7-10 per unit per year)

Total annual budget: $220-320

Medium Retail Store

Setup:

• 18 fire extinguishers (mix of 5-lb and 10-lb ABC)

Annual cost: $360-450 ($20-25 per unit)

6-year maintenance (prorated annually): $120-180 ($7-10 per unit per year)

Total annual budget: $480-630

Restaurant with Kitchen

Setup:

• 12 fire extinguishers total
• 8 standard ABC units
• 4 Class K kitchen units

Annual cost for ABC: $160-200 ($20-25 per unit)

Annual cost for Class K: $120-160 ($30-40 per unit)

6-year maintenance (prorated annually): $96-144

Total annual budget: $376-504

Large Warehouse

Setup:

• 45 fire extinguishers (10-lb and 20-lb ABC)

Annual cost: $810-990 ($18-22 per unit)

6-year maintenance (prorated annually): $300-450

Total annual budget: $1,110-1,440

Apartment Complex

Setup:

• 60 fire extinguishers
• Multiple buildings
• Hallways and common areas

Annual cost: $900-1,200 ($15-20 per unit)

6-year maintenance (prorated annually): $420-600

Total annual budget: $1,320-1,800

Hidden Costs People Don’t Expect

Replacement Units

If extinguishers are damaged, corroded, or fail hydrostatic testing, you need replacements:

• 5-lb ABC: $40-70
• 10-lb ABC: $60-90
• 20-lb ABC: $90-130
• Class K: $150-250
• Wheeled units: $400-800+

When this happens:

• Physical damage (dents, corrosion, drop damage)
• Failed hydrostatic test
• Obsolete models
• Units over 15-20 years old

Emergency Recharges

Someone used an extinguisher. Great - that’s what they’re for. Now you need immediate recharge:

• Standard recharge: $40-60
• Emergency same-day: $80-120+
• After-hours: $100-150+

Missing Tags or Documentation

No proof of last service? Company assumes it hasn’t been serviced and might require full 6-year maintenance instead of annual inspection.

Cost difference: Instead of $20 annual inspection, you’re paying $40-80 for 6-year service on units that might have been serviced recently but have no documentation.

Lesson: Keep service records. Take photos of new tags. File everything.

Code Compliance Additions

Fire Marshal says you need more extinguishers than you have. Now you’re buying new units plus installation:

• Purchase price: $40-90 per unit
• Wall brackets: $10-20 each
• Installation labor: $25-50 per unit
• Signage: $10-20 per location

Total per new extinguisher: $85-180

How to Pay Less (Without Cutting Corners)

Bundle Services

Companies that handle your fire extinguishers, fire alarm, and sprinkler inspections often discount when you use them for everything.

Example savings: 15-20% off individual service pricing when bundled.

Group Scheduling

If you own multiple buildings, schedule all services same day/week. Travel time is minimized.

Savings: Some companies discount 10-20% for grouped service calls.

What You’re Really Paying For

Licensed Technician Time

Fire extinguisher service requires trained, certified technicians. You’re paying for:

• Initial certification training
• Ongoing education
• Equipment and tools
• Insurance and licensing
• Experience with different systems

Good technicians catch problems before they become violations. They spot corroded units, recommend upgrades, and document everything properly.

Cheap technicians might miss issues or rush through inspections. You save $5 per unit but fail Fire Marshal inspection later.

Liability Protection

Service creates documentation that you’ve maintained equipment. This matters for:

• Fire Marshal inspections
• Insurance claims after fires
• Liability lawsuits
• Regulatory compliance

Proper documentation protects you legally. Cheap service with poor documentation doesn’t.

Parts and Materials

Service tags, seals, pressure gauges, hoses, nozzles, agent refills - these cost money. Quality companies use quality parts.

Cheap companies might reuse seals, skip full inspections, or use substandard parts. Unit fails when needed.

Emergency Response

Good service companies respond quickly when you need emergency recharges or have Fire Marshal deadlines.

Value: If Fire Marshal gives you 30 days to fix violations and your service company is booked out 6 weeks, you’re screwed.

Red Flags in Fire Extinguisher Service Quotes

Prices Way Below Market

If quote is 40-50% below other companies, ask why:

• Are they cutting corners on inspections?
• Using uncertified technicians?
• Skipping documentation?
• Planning to upsell later with “required” repairs?

Reality: Fire extinguisher service has minimum costs. Below those minimums, quality suffers.

Pressure to Replace Everything

Some companies make money on equipment sales, not service. They’ll recommend replacing units that are fine.

Warning signs:

• “All your extinguishers are too old” (when they’re 5 years old)
• “This model is obsolete” (but parts are available)
• “We only service units we sell” (common scam)

Legitimate replacement reasons:

• Physical damage or corrosion
• Failed pressure tests
• Parts genuinely unavailable
• Units actually obsolete (20+ years old)

Vague Pricing

Unfortunately most fire protection companies, don’t make it easy to get pricing. You usually have to call and wait for a salesperson etc to answer.

At Ironclad Fire, we have an online pricing tool, what you see there is what you pay in 95% of cases. It gives you three scenarios: Inspection Only, 50% of Extinguishers Replaced, and All Extinguishers Replaced. That’s your lowest to highest cost, so you’ll be prepared.

Good quote: “Your service call will be $110, then it’s $15 per extinguisher for inspection + tagging, then if any need replaced it’s $85 per standard extinguisher. So your total for 10 extinguishers would be $260 for inspection only, or $1,110 if all need replacement.”

Bad quote: “It’s $85 to show up, then the rest we’ll assess on-site and let you know.”

Questions to Ask Fire Protection Service Companies

Do you provide yearly reminders?

Good companies will automatically take charge of deadlines and notify you 30-60 days before service is due.

What arrival window do you provide?

Most companies currently give a big window. This is because they price super low and pack the schedule super tight. At Ironclad Fire for example, we give a 1 at most 2 hour window. We give our technicians enough time at each job so they don’t need to rush and we always make it to you on time.

Will you tell me when you’re on the way?

Again most companies overlook this. We always send an on the way text, that goes like “Hey there, wanted to give you a heads up that Frank from Ironclad Fire is on the way and will be arriving in approximately 50 minutes. If you need to reschedule please call or text us at 615-501-3194. Track my arrival here: ”.

Our customers love this because it takes the stress of worrying when we’re showing up and where we’re at off their shoulders.

The Fire Marshal Perspective

Fire Marshals don’t care what you paid for service. They care about:

Current service tags: Are they within 12 months?

Proper documentation: Can you prove maintenance happened?

Equipment functionality: Do gauges show proper pressure? Any visible damage?

Accessibility: Can you actually reach the extinguishers?

Cheap service that doesn’t document properly fails inspection same as no service. Pay for documentation quality, not just tag replacement.

When to Switch Service Providers

You should consider switching if:

• Consistently missing service dates despite reminders
• Poor documentation (incomplete tags, no reports)
• Technicians rushing through work
• Adding hidden fees
• Pushing unnecessary equipment sales
• Failed Fire Marshal inspection despite “current” service

Don’t switch just for price unless current provider is significantly above market. Relationship and responsiveness matter more than saving $3 per unit.

What Fire Extinguisher Service Costs vs. What It Prevents

Annual service cost for typical building: $400-1,200

Cost of failing Fire Marshal inspection:

• Violation fines: $100-500 per violation
• Emergency service to fix violations: 2-3x normal pricing
• Potential business interruption
• Insurance implications
• Legal liability if fire occurs

Cost of non-functional extinguisher during fire:

• Property damage
• Injury or death
• Lawsuits
• Insurance claims denied
• Criminal liability in some cases

The math is simple: Proper service is the cheapest insurance you can buy.

The Bottom Line

Fire extinguisher service pricing is straightforward once you understand what’s included:

• Annual inspection: $15-30 per unit
• 6-year maintenance: $40-80 per unit
• 12-year testing or replacement: $50-100+ per unit
• Recharges when used: $40-150 depending on type

For typical commercial building: $300-1,000 annually depending on size.

Best approach:

1. Count your extinguishers and types
2. Get 3 quotes from licensed companies
3. Ask about bundling with other fire protection services
4. Choose based on quality and responsiveness, not just price

Cheapest service isn’t best service. Pay for proper documentation, certified technicians, and responsive emergency service. You’re buying peace of mind and legal protection, not just new tags.