PFD stands for a personal flotation device. Owning a PFD or a life jacket is important, especially if you or members of your family work or exercise around water.
As with all belongings, though, you must know how to properly maintain PFDs. You also need to know when it’s time to toss them out once they’re no longer functional.
We’re here to address these concerns for you. Let’s begin!
When Should You Discard a PFD?
Since a PFD is an essential part of your emergency safety kit, you’ll need to look out for the following telling signs that your PFD isn’t safe to use:
- The jacket has lost its buoyancy. There are multiple tests you can do to check the jacket’s buoyancy before heading out into the water.
- In case you find any rips or tears in the PFD’s fabric, don’t use it and don’t attempt to manually cover up those openings.
- During your routine check, if you come across any damage done to the safety straps or buckles, get rid of the PFD immediately. Once more, don’t attempt to fix it since the damage will still pose a safety threat.
- If you notice the bright orange or charcoal colors of your inflatable device have faded, that’s a sign that it’s suffered UV damage. In other words, it’s now useless.
- Before going out in the water, you should always check the jacket’s fit. If its form is loose on you, then it should be discarded.
- Check the expiration date of the CO2 inside the PFD’s cylinder tanks. While life jackets don’t expire per se, if the air in the cartridge has passed its date, then the life jacket isn’t safe to use.
That being said, some of these issues can be fixed and others can be avoided completely. All of which can be done with proper handling and maintenance of your PFD.
To know how to correctly store your life jackets, it’s important to know which type of life jacket you own first.
Types of PFDs
There are two types of life jackets:
1. Foam-Filled PFDs
The standard orange PFD is known as a foam-filled PFD. They’re called that since their material is made of closed-cell foam.
These life jackets are most popular because they already come inflated and don’t require any manual prep. As an added plus, they’re also low maintenance and are a preferred option for kids.
2. Inflatable PFDs
Inflatable life jackets are the modern version of the foam-filled ones. They come with CO2 cartridges that can be filled either manually or automatically.
And because they’re not inflated or buoyant when they arrive, their sizes are compact. This is what made them popular, especially with frequent swimmers that need to carry a PFD around.
Now that you’ve identified the type of life jacket you have, let’s go through how you can maintain it properly to extend its shelf life.
How to Maintain Your PFD
The average life expectancy for a PFD is around 10 years or more. Those calculations take into consideration the correct cleaning and storing of your PFD.
For your life jacket to stick around, keep in mind the following:
- Don’t store your PFD in direct sunlight or in a storage space of high temperatures. UV rays and heat cause serious damage to its material.
- Similarly, don’t put your PFD in a dryer or dry it off by subjecting it to any heat-inducing appliances.
- Regularly clean your PFD by washing it with a non-chemical soap and cool water.
- With inflatable PFDs, you’ll want to swap the air cartridges for new ones once they expire. If you don’t use your PFD regularly, you’ll want to do this once a year.
That being said, even if you follow the above-mentioned guidelines, you’ll still need to test your PFD before every use.
How to Test Your PFD
To ensure your safety and the safety of others with you, it’s essential that you test run your PFD before going for a swim. This way, you can notice any risks present and act immediately.
Here are the three main ways to do that:
1. Test the PFD’s Buoyancy
You’ll need shallow or calm waters to test out this feature. Wear your life jacket and check for the following:
- Your chin must be above the waterline. If it’s not, your PFD isn’t functioning properly.
- The PFD isn’t rising above your shoulders. When the buoyancy is perfect, you don’t thrash around in the water.
2. Test the CO2 Tanks of Your Inflatable PFD
Whether your inflatable has a manual or automatic mechanism, it’s important to check and test for the following:
- Check that the gas tank hasn’t expired or is empty.
- Look for any damage or accumulated rust. If you find any, throw out the tank and immediately replace it.
- Make sure that the cartridge is properly secured to the PFD and that no screws are loose. Otherwise, the inflation mechanism won’t carry out its job correctly.
3. Test the Fit of Your PFD
Before heading out, you’ll need to make sure that the PFD is in good shape. Not just that but, that it also fits you like a glove.
Here’s what to keep in mind:
- Fully inflate the PFD and leave it out overnight. This way you can check for any leaks. If it remains firm, you’re safe.
- Inspect the PFD’s straps. If you notice any fraying or damage, don’t risk it. You can also pull on them to check if they’ll do well under pressure.
- When standing, your life jacket shouldn’t be hard to move around in, be too loose or too tight on you.
Wrapping Up
When should you discard your PFD? Regularly check for damages and tears, if you find any, it’s time to get rid of it.
Are PFDs reusable? Given that you’ve taken good care of it and have stored it properly, your PFD should be good to reuse when you can.
Remember to stay safe and not risk it!