If your building is outfitted with fire sprinklers, you probably benefit from peace of mind that, should the worst happen, you and others will be protected. Those sprinklers may also save plenty of your property too. Obviously, it’s important that you’re meeting building code demands as well. However, if you don’t conduct a regular fire sprinkler inspection, that peace of mind may be a mirage that goes up in smoke if your building ever catches fire. The following is what you need to know to ensure your fire sprinkler inspection is working to keep you, others, and your property safe.
How Often You Need to Conduct a Fire Sprinkler Inspection
The National Fire Protection Association recommends that you check the control valves of your system every week if they’re not assisted by electronic supervision. This way you know they’re in the open position and ready to send water to your sprinklers should a fire break out. Fortunately, this inspection won’t take long at all.
If your system is aided by electronic supervision of some sort, check your manufacturer’s manual for a recommendation. Checking the control valve should probably be unnecessary, but given how quick you can do it, many might consider it worth a few minutes a week.
Fire spinkler inspection
About every three months, a more comprehensive fire sprinkler inspection should be carried out by a knowledgeable and credentialed professional. Once again, your need may differ some here depending on the city and state your building is located in. So check with both to ensure you’re not violating code requirements.
Fortunately, many fire sprinkler companies offer long-term service agreements. This will guarantee regular and affordable inspections by a knowledgeable professional that is familiar with your specific system.
Even if yours doesn’t, many local contractors will essentially offer you a similar detail. Plus, they’ll be familiar with local codes, so you’ll be assured your sprinklers are operating within the law.
Lastly, your insurance company may have their own requirements. Even your local fire department might have their own, separate from those of the city and state. Obviously it pays to make sure you’re inspecting in accordance with these demands. Should a fire occur, your insurance company may not be liable to help if they can prove you were neglecting regular inspections. Whether you have a local contractor or someone from the fire sprinkler company carry out the inspection, be sure they provide you with a certificate that you can present to the necessary authorities as proof.
Other Times You Need a Fire Sprinkler Inspection
Aside from the regular schedule outlined above, there are other times when it’s appropriate to hold a fire sprinkler inspection. Generally speaking they are:
- If the building’s structure changes
- If the building’s use changes
- If the water supply is altered
It should go without saying that if there are ever any changes to the actual structure of the building, an inspection should occur. Fire sprinklers are installed specifically for the structure they’re meant to protect. So any alteration to it could affect their ability to do their job. If you change the way the building is used, it’s also important you check the sprinklers to ensure they’ll still be able to reach all its critical parts.
Obviously, if anything permanently alters the building’s water supply, an inspection has to be done. Without the right connection to the supply, your sprinklers are little more than decoration. Similarly, if anything ever temporarily happens to the water supply—if the pressure drops one day or it stops working for some reason—you need to inspect your sprinklers, even if the supply bounces right back.
Responsibilities of Occupants
Again, an actual fire sprinkler inspection should be handled by a qualified professional (checking the water valve once a week doesn’t count). However, the building’s occupants can also play a role in keeping sprinklers working.
For one thing, never paint over them. Don’t hang anything on them either. The sprinklers always need their space, so items should never be stacked too close to them or plants allowed to grow to the point that they’re blocking them. Of course, anything that even resembles damage to a sprinkler should be reported immediately.
So long as the above is observed in terms of inspecting your fire sprinklers and keeping them unobstructed, you should have nothing to worry about in terms of them working as planned.
Usa Fire Safety Contractor 