by Aazdak Alisimo

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.
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