Fire Sprinkler System Inspection Checklist for Your Business

Fire safety is vital to protect your business, employees, and customers. A fire protection sprinkler system is a reliable method to extinguish a fire at your commercial property, save lives and lessen property loss. According to the Congressional Office of Compliance, fire sprinkler systems reduce the risk of a person dying in a fire by 75%.

On top of putting out fires, fire protection systems can also save you money on your insurance or taxes for having the extra physical protection on your property. But as beneficial as they are, if your fire sprinkler system is not up to date, working properly, or regularly maintained there are no guarantees that it will work when you need it to.

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) created the NFPA25, which is “the baseline for inspection, testing, and maintenance of water-based fire protection systems.” By following this checklist, you can conduct routine maintenance and safety inspections on your business’s sprinkler system to keep it in working order. You will also know if it’s time to upgrade your system to a newer one. If you’re unsure of where things are in your system, you can refer to this guide.

Monthly Inspection Fire Sprinkler System Checklist

• Check the control valves. During your monthly inspections, you should first focus on the valves. They should each be in their normal open or closed positions, properly sealed and locked, accessible, from any visible leaks, not damaged, and labeled appropriately.
• Check the gauges. It’s also important at this time to inspect the gauges. If you have a dry system, there are three things you need to check: See that the gauge on the supply side of the dry pipe valve shows a normal supply water pressure, confirm the gauge on the quick-opening device has the same pressure that’s shown as on the dry pipe valve, finally check the gauges that are on systems with low air or nitrogen pressure alarms. If you have a wet system, make sure your gauges are in good working condition and that normal water pressure is being maintained.

Quarterly Inspection Fire Sprinkler System Checklist

• Inspect the alarm devices. Check that these devices don’t have any visible damage. Then test the water flow alarm by opening the test connection on a wet pipe system and the bypass connection on a dry pipe system.
• Secure the hydraulic nameplate. Make sure this is attached to the sprinkler riser and can be clearly read.
• Check your fire department connections. Ensure they are visible and not damaged. Check that the fire department valves and gauges are in good repair and not leaking.

Annual Inspection Fire Sprinkler System Checklist

The NFPA requires your annual fire sprinkler system inspection be completed by a professional technician. A certified professional can ensure that your building is safe and up to code. During this inspection, the technician will complete everything on the monthly and quarterly inspections. They will also:

• Inspect all of your sprinkler heads. This will include the pipes and fittings.
• Check the interior dry valve pipes. They’ll check that the pipes are of physical damage, that the trim valves are in the appropriate open and closed positions, and that the intermediate chamber is not leaking.
• Test the main drain flow. This checks the conditions of the water supplied to the sprinkler system from the pressure reducing valve.

If you conduct this checklist and see broken gauges and valves, proper water pressure is not being supplied to the system, or if your pipes aren’t fitting properly or leaking, it might be time to upgrade your system. Although costly up front, it’ll save money in the long run, by keeping your business up to code. And should your commercial property ever have a fire, a sprinkler system will limit property losses and saving lives.

Need Fire Damage Restoration Services?

Contact Alpha-Omega Disaster Restoration. We provide emergency fire damage and water damage services. Our certified and trained technicians are available 24/7 to help assess the situation and mitigate the damage from the fire, smoke, soot, and water used to put the fire out. At Alpha Omega, our technicians will work directly with your insurance company. We want to restore your business as quickly and safely as possible.

Alpha-Omega Pros is a fully certified professional restoration company serving Billings, MT and the surrounding areas.