A fire sprinkler system is only effective if it actually works. This means you need to keep it working! You don’t want to find out in a fire that it has failed.
There is a handy resource for guidance on performing a tune up on a fire sprinkler system. This is NFPA 25, and it should be the ultimate guide. NFPA 25 is the National Fire Protection Association Standard for the Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance of Water-Based Fire Protection Systems. The standards of NFPA 25 make performing maintenance on a fire sprinkler system an organized and systematic operation. The title shows that it is the combination of all three elements that is essential to insure the proper operation of the system at the critical moment when it is needed.
Testing and inspection is done on a regular schedule. The standards call for monthly inspections and tests as well as some more complex yearly tests. Testing and inspection leads to maintenance when any problem is encountered. The first type of maintenance is responsive. It is not scheduled or preventative, but is a direct response to a deficiency noted in the test or inspection reports. It is an essential part of this process to establish a method to insure that needed maintenance is done and re-testing or inspection completed.
The testing and inspection does not limit itself to the nozzle heads, but they are a very important and sensitive part of the system. They must be clean, clear of obstruction, and properly aligned. The thermal operated linkage is the key element and must be in proper working order. The ceiling in the area of the nozzle must be included in the inspection. Heat escaping through missing ceiling tiles could slow the reaction time of the thermal linkage.
There is also maintenance that is done on schedule rather than in response to the inspection or testing procedure. This maintenance is called preventive. It seeks to stay ahead of any potential problems by addressing them before they even have time to develop. An example of this type of maintenance would be a systematic and periodical replacement of sprinkler heads.
Performing maintenance on a fire sprinkler system is such an important function of any organization that uses them that many companies assign the work to an outside agency. The outside fire sprinkler maintenance company has qualified technicians and performing the required testing and maintenance is their major function. An internal maintenance force might consider fire sprinkler maintenance as a secondary responsibility. The outside organization insures that important maintenance is not neglected in favor of more production related jobs.
Aazdak Alisimo writes about
fire safety for FireSprinklerSystemInstallers.com where you can find a directory of
fire sprinkler system installers and experts across the country.
