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A fire sprinkler system is essential in every home because it will protect the property from fire. And it’s equally important to make sure the sprinkler system is properly maintained so it works efficiently in ensuring the health and safety of your property and its occupants. If you don’t maintain the sprinkler system, then it won’t function as effectively as it should. In today’s post, we are listing down basic sprinkler maintenance tips to consider:
Checking the Sprinkler Head
Conduct regular checks on the sprinkler heads to make sure there is no obstruction that will keep the system from working properly. If say, the room is newly painted, check for painter tapes that a worker may have left behind. Make sure storage boxes are not stacked too close to the ceiling so the sprinkler heads are not blocked. If a sprinkler head is showing extreme signs of wear, replace it. Finally, make sure the sprinkler heads are not exposed to high heat.
Checking the Sprinkler Valves
Do not leave the sprinkler valve in the wrong position. According to firefighters, most fire mishaps are caused by sprinkler valves locked in a closed position. To remind everyone not to leave the sprinkler valves in the wrong position, you can stick a reminder or alert the household about the hazards of closing the sprinkler valves.
Checking the Fire Alarm System
Apart from conducting checks to ensure the sprinkler valves are not closed, you have to check your fire alarm system regularly. While anti-tamper circuits will warn the controller if a valve was closed, it will not prevent the actual closing of the valve. You have to open the valve manually. Usually, the circuits have a layer of security to reduce tampering but the anti-tamper switches may be out of adjustment and this can affect the fire alarm system. It’s best to keep the control valves LO/TO signage on to reduce accidental closure of the valves.
Hiring a Professional
If say, you have no idea how to maintain a sprinkler system, we recommend hiring a contractor that can assess the state of the system for you. But before you do this, be sure to hire a licensed contractor. In certain parts of the US, contractors, sprinkler installers, and inspectors must be licensed before they can operate their business. You can always ask your local fire marshal to know what laws are mandated in your area.
Learn the Safety Codes and Standards in Your Local Area
In the US, the National Fire Protection Agency or NFPA features a comprehensive list of requirement to maintain every component of a sprinkler system and prevent the failure of the system to keep the fire in and around the property. Please refer to this list to ensure that your system is working properly.
The safety list, called NFPA 25, lists every element of an average sprinkler system such as the pump units, the valves, and the sprinkler heads. According to the NFPA, although sprinklers provide excellent fire protection, they cannot guarantee absolute protection especially if the system is faulty. By learning how to maintain every component of the system and understanding the dangers of an ill-maintained sprinkler system, you can reduce the potential for fire damage.
