An Introduction to Fire Sprinkler System Maintenance

Fire sprinkler systems are a great way to keep your structure and the people inside it safe from harm. However, the system requires maintenance to work correctly. Fortunately, a lot of the process is something anyone can handle with just a little instruction. If you need help, though, call an expert immediately.

If your building is outfitted with a sprinkler system, you’re right to feel a bit safer. You can rest easy knowing that, should a fire break out, your system will immediately react to keep everyone safe by containing the outbreak until the fire department arrives. However, this will only happen if you’ve been practicing sound fire sprinkler system maintenance. Systems that aren’t properly maintained may not work as they’re supposed to and that could end up costing you the ultimate price. So let’s take a look at what goes into fire sprinkler system maintenance and then take action to ensure you’re doing what’s necessary.

How Sprinklers Work
First, however, let’s take a quick look at how your fire sprinklers actually work. In the movies, at the first hint of fire, every sprinkler on the building’s floor goes off, covering the entire area in water.
That’s not how it actually works though. Each sprinkler head is designed to only go off when the area around it is hot enough to melt the fusible link blocking the flow of water. So a fire could actually only activate one or two heads, which then work to contain the flames until the authorities make it to the scene.

Why is this important? We’ll elaborate shortly, but the takeaway is that each head needs its own maintenance. It’s not like they all run on a single activation system and if one isn’t working correctly, the others will just pick up the slack.

The Control Valve
Any discussion on fire sprinkler system maintenance needs to touch on the control valve. It’s an essential part of any fire sprinkler system, and also an easy one to inspect. Essentially, there’s a valve in your building that must remain open in order for the water supply to flow. If this valve is off, your sprinklers will get no water and be useless in the case of a fire. Unfortunately, closed valves are the leading cause of widespread fire damage.

The good news is that checking the valve is probably the easiest component of fire sprinkler system maintenance. Just take a look once a week to ensure it’s still locked in the open position.

Also, sometimes the valve needs to be shut off to conduct maintenance or handle repairs on your system. When this is the case, be sure water is only shut off to the one area where the work is being done and only for as long as completely necessary. There’s no reason to take unnecessary risks.

Inspecting Sprinklers
When you want to inspect the actual sprinklers, you need to turn off the valve, as we just mentioned. It’s a good idea to put a brightly colored tag or ribbon on the valve when you do this as a visual reminder to you or anyone else who passes by that the valve needs to be turned back on later.

Also, alert the local authorities that you’re conducting fire sprinkler system maintenance. Your alarm company should know too in case you need to set yours off for a drill or as part of repairs. It’s also not a bad idea to tell your insurance company. Sometimes this is mandatory if it means keeping yourself covered by conducting regular fire sprinkler system maintenance.

Like we already said, keep your inspection to only as many sprinklers as necessary and allow the rest to operate as normal. You also want to make sure that you keep any ignition sources out of the area for the duration of the inspection.

In terms of how often you should conduct maintenance on your sprinklers, check NFPA 25: Standard for the Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance of Water-Based Fire Protection Systems. Depending on your municipality, you may need a certified contractor to handle your inspections and testing for you.

General Understanding
When it comes to your fire sprinkler system maintenance, no matter what rules you’re bound to by local powers and your insurance company, make sure your staff has a general understanding of the system. This should include:
•    Where the valve is and what it looks like when it’s open and closed
•    What a sprinkler looks like if anything’s wrong
•    Ensuring sprinklers are never blocked

Maintaining your fire sprinklers doesn’t need to be demanding, but it does need to get done. The simple steps above could be enough to save lives someday.

Having specialized in the fire sprinkler system maintenance signs trade for over 25 years, USAFP now works tirelessly to promote affordable fire safety for home and for business.

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What You Need to Know about Fire Sprinkler Inspection

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.

 

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