- Author: Felicia Friesema
We had a great question on our Facebook page this morning about getting a pressure gauge tested. The National Center for Home Food Preservation says: take it to your local Cooperative Extension! Awesome! Here at the Los Angeles County UC Cooperative Extension we would love to test your pressure gauges! Many county offices all over the country have provided this service to the public for years. After all, improper pressure canning can result in severe illness or death - yikes. And it's recommended you get your gauges tested every year prior to diving into your canning season. If the gauge reads high or low by more than two pounds at 5, 10 or 15 pounds pressure, replace it. If it is less than two pounds off in accuracy, you can make adjustments needed to be sure you have the required pressure in your canner.
Like I said earlier, we would LOVE to do this. But we're not equipped to do so yet. As we dive head first into our super bountiful summer season, we realize this is an important service that LA County residents need. We're looking into the policies and procedures that will be necessary for us to provide this service to the public. In the meantime, you have a few other in-state options to explore:
California Counties Providing Pressure Canner Inspection OR Pressure Gauge Testing:
El Dorado County Master Food Preserver Program
Either send or bring in lids with the gauge attached and return postage OR drop the lid off
and pick it up at the county office. The entire pot can also be brought in for evaluation. In 2009 there was no charge for this service.
Solano and Yolo County
Drop off the whole pressure canner. They inspect the entire pot and test it at all three basic temperatures that home canners might use. $20.00 fee.
Non-UC Testing Services:
Embarcadero Home Cannery
2026 Livingston Street
Oakland, CA 94606
Phone: 510-535-2311
Email: ehcan@hotmail.com
Dial gauges are tested for approximately $5 plus return postage. Individuals would remove the gauge and mail it to EHC. They will test it using their master gauge and return it with a report as to its accuracy and invoice. They sell new gauges for $21. Once mailed, EHC will return within a week.
NATIONAL PRESTO INDUSTRIES, INC.
Consumer Services Department
3925 N. Hastings Way
Eau Claire, WI 54703-2209
Phone: 1-800-877-0441 1 – 800-368-2194.
Email: contact@gopresto.com
Presto will test Presto canners for no charge. Simply send gauge to them (prefer shipment by UPS; allow turn around time of more than two weeks, so plan ahead!)
We're working on adding LA County to this list. Hopefully we'll be able to make an announcement about this soon. Thanks for your patience while we get this ship moving.
The Assumption of Risk Form should be used in all county offices that are continuing to test pressure canner
gauges. The policy is as follows:
- The owner of the pressure canner must be the one who signs the release form.
- Duplicate copies of the form should be signed and the office should keep a copy for at least six (6) years.
- Fees should be charged for testing pressure canner gauges. The fee should be sufficient to cover the cost of one or two canning bulletins to assure that home canners have the most recent versions of the bulletins. One of these should be the bulletin “Using and Caring for your Pressure Canner” (unless the client already owns that bulletin).
Your office has the option of no longer testing pressure canner gauges. If you do choose to continue testing, we recommend that your office purchase the version of National Presto Industries testing unit for dial gauges, which uses an air pump and master gauge. The fees for testing pressure canner gauges can be set to include funds for cost recovery of the unit’s purchase. One disadvantage with the new air pump gauge tester is that will only test Presto canners. However, it is more accurate and safer to use than Presto’s older testing unit which uses steam.