Do fireworks go bad? (shoot, legal, best, great)

[Mirabella]

I bought some of the big ones from an interstate store in SC in 2004 and never got around to using them. Are they still safe to use?

[CHTransplant]

What's the worst that could happen? Light 'em and let us know.

P.S. Most fireworks bought in SC are illegal in NC.

[StanFischlerHockE]

Do cops bust any chops about illegal fireworks? I know up north zero fireworks are illegal yet everyone lite them off. Wonder if anyone ever got busted for having 1.4G (class c) fireworks.

[StanFischlerHockE]

To answer first question:

Yes, you can save fireworks for the following year safely.

The main points to remember are: Keep them dry, and don't jostle them around much. The enemy of fireworks is water. Even moisture from the air can become a problem, if they are stored for a long time and/or stored in a location with high humidity. The chemical contents inside the fireworks are well-protected by the packaging, but exposed fuses could absorb enough moisture from the air to make them not lightable, and some items like sparklers could take on enough moisture that they won't stay lit.

So, pack up the fireworks well in sealed boxes. If they will be stored for a very long time, or in a location with a lot of humidity, you might consider putting in a packet of silica gel dessicant. That probably won't be necessary if you are only storing them for one year and the box is well-sealed to keep humidity out.

When stored dry, fireworks do not "change" or become unstable or dangerous. I have seen fireworks that were stored for over 50 years perform just as if they were recently made. The chemicals do not deteriorate, as long as no water is allowed into the packages. Heat does not change the chemicals. It takes a great deal of heat to get the firework lit - the high temperature of a lighter is what sets them off, not generalized warmth.

Fireworks which have been stored properly are safe to use and do not become "dangerous with age." If fireworks get wet, they will not be usable. You should soak and then discard those. Do not attempt to dry them out and then use them. Never take apart any fireworks. Only use fireworks which have been stored properly and kept dry and in the same condition they were in when you bought them.

[luv4horses]

Do fire works go bad?

No, they are born bad.

[Pammyd]

Originally Posted by Mirabella

I bought some of the big ones from an interstate store in SC in 2004 and never got around to using them. Are they still safe to use?

"When in doubt, throw it out"...guess this could apply to fireworks. If you are uneasy about using them, it is best to contact your local fire dept. to find out about proper disposal. Our fire dept. and city work in tandem to do our fireworks so I am sure your's would probanly know what to do with them. Would be a shame if someone got hurt because you weren't sure. Check it out then go from there. Have a safe and happy 4th of July.

[Pixel_Dent]

Stantheman78 gave the correct answer. The corollary to what he said is if you are in a humid climate like NC and don't take extra care to keep them in dry air they slowly get damp. All that happens in that case is they are harder to light and when they do light they won't perform as well. For sparklers and ground based fireworks this isn't a big deal, but I wouldn't shoot off rockets or mortars which you aren't sure of as they may not achieve a safe altitude before exploding.

[Mirabella]

They've been stored inside my house so have not gotten damp. I guess I'm good to go. They will be shot off on a private from in a very rural part of the NC mountains so no worries about restrictions.
Thanks for the information!

[Ed_RDNC]

stantheman78 said it well, but I thought I'd toss in a clarification.
Since moisture is the enemy, even from the air. most fireworks will come in factory packaging that will protect it while it's stored "on the shelf". As long as that exterior wrapping is intact, it should have a shelf life of years.

But if 5 years ago, you fired off half of a bundle of bottle rockets and saved the other half without wrapping them in plastic wrap - they are probably no good.
To test their condition, take a few out and test fire them under highly controlled, extra-extra-careful conditions. (Use a punk taped to a yard-stick to light them, etc.)

[C_Lan]

Originally Posted by Ed_RDNC

stantheman78 said it well, but I thought I'd toss in a clarification.
Since moisture is the enemy, even from the air. most fireworks will come in factory packaging that will protect it while it's stored "on the shelf". As long as that exterior wrapping is intact, it should have a shelf life of years.

But if 5 years ago, you fired off half of a bundle of bottle rockets and saved the other half without wrapping them in plastic wrap - they are probably no good.
To test their condition, take a few out and test fire them under highly controlled, extra-extra-careful conditions. (Use a punk taped to a yard-stick to light them, etc.)

You'd need some extra steady hands to use a punk to light a tiny fuse on a bottle rocket from 3+ feet away! I could see that method if you were lighting a blockbuster, but a small bottle rocket?