Winter Preventative Maintenance for Your Fire Sprinkler System

A Guide to Preventative Maintenance

As the cold winter months approach, it’s essential to perform preventative maintenance to avoid damages and potential disasters to your fire sprinkler system.

Fire Pros can help. Here are the benefits of preventative fire sprinkler maintenance.

Benefits of Preventative Fire Sprinkler Maintenance

Before we dive into the preventative maintenance process, let’s explore the significant benefits of regular maintenance for your fire sprinkler system:

• Reliability: Routine maintenance helps prevent your fire sprinkler system from not operating correctly in a fire event. It demonstrates that each component is in optimal working condition, reducing the risk of malfunction when you need it most.
• Savings: Investing in preventative maintenance can save you money in the long run. Detecting and fixing minor issues early prevents them from escalating into costly repairs or system replacements in the future.
• Compliance: Local fire codes and insurance companies require regular inspections and maintenance of fire sprinkler systems. Staying compliant avoids penalties and documents that your system is up-to-date with the latest safety standards.
• Life span: Properly maintained fire sprinkler systems can have a significantly longer life span, reducing the need for frequent replacements.

Steps To Help Keep Your Fire Sprinkler System From Freezing in Winter

Maintaining your fire sprinkler system before cold weather arrives is a crucial part of preventative maintenance. Properly maintaining your system protects it from freezing temperatures that can cause pipes to burst and damage your property significantly.

Here are a few things to have done or do yourself before freezing temperatures arrive.

1. Inspect your system: Before winter sets in, thoroughly inspect your fire sprinkler system. Look for any visible damage, leaks, or corrosion. Address any issues promptly.
2. Drain known low points: Checking and draining all known drains on dry sprinkler systems will help reduce the chance of a potential break in your fire protection due to freezing water. These drains should be checked daily before and during freezing temperatures.
3. Wet sprinkler systems: Wet sprinkler systems have water in them at all times, so it’s critical that the areas protected by these types of systems are always kept at a minimum of 40 degrees Fahrenheit. It’s best before and during freezing temperatures to check areas that may need extra heat sources, such as a space heater or furnace that’s off during warmer seasons.
4. Antifreeze solution: If your fire sprinkler system requires antifreeze, make sure it’s been inspected in the past year. During the inspection, the freezing point of the antifreeze will be documented. If the antifreeze’s freezing point is close to freezing, it’s best to contact a fire protection company to replace the bad antifreeze with antifreeze specifically made for fire sprinkler systems.
5. Insulate exposed pipes: If insulation is being used to prevent freezing, the insulation should be checked often to ensure it’s still insulated properly.
6. Continued system monitoring: Throughout the winter, periodically check your fire sprinkler system for any signs of damage, leaks, or freezing. Address any issues immediately to prevent further damage.

Get Your Fire Sprinkler System Ready for Winter With Fire Pros

Performing preventative fire sprinkler system maintenance before winter is a crucial aspect of preventing costly damages during cold weather. Don’t compromise on the safety of your property this winter. Get help with Fire Pros.

Request a quote for your fire sprinkler system inspection and/or winter preventative maintenance by calling Fire Pros (800) 968-2871.