Fire Sprinkler: Freeze Break Ready
Freeze break season is well on its way in the DFW area. We want you to be as prepared as possible to keep your fire sprinkler system safe from freeze damage and your residents safe from fires. When freeze damage takes place on a fire sprinkler system it results in the fire sprinkler system needing to be taken out of service, repaired, and put back into service after repairs have been completed. Most repairs take up to 24 hours during freezing conditions. That means that your residents are without fire protect for at least 24 hours which also means that you are stuck paying for fire watch way longer than you would like to. Below are four very helpful tips to keep your fire sprinkler system protected from big freezes.
1) Make Sure Anti-Freeze Is Sufficient
Anti-freeze (A/F) is the key factor to keeping your A/F fire sprinkler systems from freezing up. Glycerine is the active ingredient. When mixed with the water in your fire sprinkler system the glycerine (A/F) keeps the water from freezing. If your systems have been yellow tagged for insufficient anti-freeze make sure they are refilled ASAP before temperatures drop
2) Keep equipment warm
By code fire sprinkler equipment exposed to the elements and fire riser rooms should be kept above 40 degrees fahrenheit. This ensure that all systems will remain working properly and above freezing temperatures.
3) Drain Drum Drips
Drum Drip in Garage
Drum drips allow you to drain water in your dry systems from a system trip or built up condensation. Drum drips are almost always exposed leaving them highly susceptible to freezing. By having your drum drips drained you are ensuring your dry systems stay dry, not frozen.
4) Keep Heat On In Vacant Units
That's right, even sprinklers INSIDE of apartments can freeze. If heaters are not left on inside of units that are not being lived in, fire sprinklers that are on the exterior walls of the unit have a high chance of freezing causing the unit to flood. Keeping the heat on could save big in repairs.