An Introduction to Fire Sprinkler System Maintenance

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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Your Questions Answered About Industrial Fire Sprinkler Systems

Any building out there, whether it be commercial or residential, runs the risk of catching fire. This would obviously put the structure’s integrity at risk as well as those caught inside it. However, industrial structures are especially at risk because of the materials they often contain and the operations they host. This is why industrial fire sprinkler systems are such a good idea. They won’t stop a fire from happening, but they can help put it out and ensure that people and property are left untouched. Keep reading for answers to common questions people have about them.

Don’t They Do More Harm Than Good?

This is a common misconception about industrial fire sprinkler systems. Everyone has seen a movie where one sprinkler head gets set off and immediately the rest of them follow suit. The result is usually an overreaction on the part of the system and the aftermath is seen as being costly.

In real life, however, that’s not remotely how industrial fire sprinkler systems work. Each sprinkler head is connected to a waterline, but in order for it to be activated, temperatures in the area need to reach roughly 150 degrees Fahrenheit. Obviously, such extreme temperatures would indicate that a fire had broken out.

Furthermore, each sprinkler head needs to be activated on its own. The water supply is obstructed by a glass vile with a chemical in it that expands when brought to extreme temperatures. So they function independently of one another.

One of the main benefits of sprinkler systems is actually that they’re so good about keeping fires from spreading and reaching greater amounts of property. 

Aren’t Industrial Fire Sprinkler Systems Extremely Expensive? 

That’s another misconception. Revisit the description of how sprinkler heads work and you’ll see that the technology is actually fairly simple. There’s no wiring that needs to be done or other procedures that come with a lot of overhead. 

Instead, it just takes adding some piping to your construction and making holes for the sprinkler heads to fit through. For those in the midst of construction or who are yet to break ground, industrial fire sprinkler systems can cost as little as $2 per square foot. Some will be even less. If you want a system added into your existing building, you still are unlikely to pay more than $4 per square foot. Keep in mind; both those estimates include the equipment and installation costs.

Given what your industrial fire sprinkler system will do, these costs aren’t much. If a fire breaks out, you’ll be glad you made the investment. Plus, many insurance companies will charge you less if they know these sprinklers are in place.

Also, maintenance costs are negligible at best. You’re looking at maybe another $125 a year to ensure they’re all still operating correctly.

What Happens if They Go Off on Accident?

That would definitely be an issue. Fortunately, the technology behind industrial fire sprinkler systems makes it almost a statistical impossibility. Ask the company that installs it about a warranty in such an event. Chances are they provide one, seeing as how rare this type of accident is.

Other Things to Consider

There are a number of other selling points about these systems that you should consider as well. Given the size of most industrial facilities, it could be very easy for a fire to build on its own before anyone catches wind or the smoke finds a detector.

With a sprinkler system, this isn’t an issue. Were a fire to start when the facility was completely empty, you’re still assured appropriate action is taken by your sprinkler system. If people are in the facility, their safe to take off for safety, yet the fire can still be subdued or at least contained while emergency workers arrive.

Hopefully, this answers many of the questions you may have had about industrial fire sprinkler systems. When you look at the facts, they’re really a no-brainer for any industrial facility.

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