ITM for Standpipe Handout

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Standpipe Systems

Continuation of Series

for

Technical Tuesdays

NFPA 25 and Standpipe Systems

Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance

For Standpipe Systems

Tech Tuesday Presentation

For June 19, 2012

AIA Certification

AIA CES Program #: NFSATV0112Provider #: G1311.5 LU/HSW

National Fire Sprinkler Association is a Registered Provider with The American p gInstitute of Architects Continuing Education Systems (AIA/CES). Credit(s) earned on completion of this program will be reported to AIA/CES for AIA members. Certificates of Completion for both AIA members and non‐AIA members are available upon request.

This program is registered with AIA/CES for continuing professional education. As such, it does not include content that may be deemed or construed to be an approval or endorsement by the AIA of any material of construction or any method or manner of handling, using, distributing, or dealing in any material or product.

Questions related to specific materials, methods, and services will be addressed at the conclusion of this presentation

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Copyright Materials

Program Objectives

• This program will cover the basic requirements for the inspection, testing, and maintenance of standpipe systems.

• It will review the procedures found in the NFSA inspection form used to perform the inspection, testing, and maintenance as prescribed in NFPA 25.

References

• NFPA 25, Standard for the Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance of Water‐Based Fire Protection Systems, 2011 edition

• Water‐Based Fire Protection Systems Handbook, 2011 edition

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Referenced Standards What are Standpipe Systems?

Standpipe systems are an extension of hydrant systems into a building so that firefighters (or other people) do not need to stretch hoseother people) do not need to stretch hose deep into big buildings

Firefighting Operations from the Protected Stairwell

Standpipe Systems

• Protection with hose streams used by:

1. Fire Service

2. Building Occupants

3. Fire Brigades

Design and Installation Standard – NFPA 14

Maintenance Standard – NFPA 25

NFPA 25

• Not a design standard

• Does not require upgrades to current edition of NFPA 14

• Only intends to inspect and test to standard in y pplace at the time of system approval

• Emphasize the importance of maintaining the standpipe system to the property owner or facility manager

Classification of Standpipes

• Class I

‐ Fire Department use

‐ 2 ½ inch connection

• Class II

B ildi O t‐ Building Occupants

‐ 1 ½ inch Connection (Exception: a minimum 1

inch hose is permitted in light hazard

occupancies where approved by the AHJ)

• Class III

‐ All the rules of Class I and Class II

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Standpipe Systems Standpipe Systems

Typical Installation Inspections May Include the AHJ Fire Inspector, Insurance Rep, Others

NFPA 25

• Identifies the standard inspections and maintenance procedures for standpipes in Chapter 6

• NFSA provides forms for the Monthly, Quarterly, Annual, Third Year and Fifth Year

minimum requirements for standpipes and hose systems

NFPA 25

• Inspection, Testing and Maintenance are to be performed with water supplies (including fire pumps) in service, unless the impairment procedures of Chapter 14 of NFPA 25 are f ll dfollowed

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Part I ‐ Owner’s Section

• Is the building occupied?

• Has the occupancy classification and hazard of contents remained the same since the last inspection?

• Are all fire protection systems in service?

• Has the system remained in service without modification since the last inspection?

• Was the system free of actuation devices or alarms since the last inspection?

Typical Locations for Standpipes

Part II ‐ Inspector’s Section

A. Inspections

1. Daily and Weekly Items

a. Dry‐pipe valve enclosures (without low

temperature alarm):

1. Enclosure maintaining at least 40⁰?

2. Gages in good condition and showing g g g

normal air and water pressure?

b. Relief port on RPZ backflow devices not

continuously discharging?

c. Sealed control valves and valves on backflow devices

in normal (open or closed) position, accessible, with

seals in place, free from external leaks, and provided with

appropriate identification?

Inspector’s Section

2. Monthly Inspection Items (in addition to above items)

a. Control valves with locks or electrical supervision in correct

(open or closed) position, with locks or supervision in

place, accessible, free from external leaks, provided with

appropriate wrenches, and provided with identification?

b. Alarm valves free from physical damage, trim in correct

(open or closed) position and no leakage from retard

chamber or drains, and gages indicating normal water

pressure?

Control valve Inspector’s Section

2. Monthly Inspection Items (continued)

c. Dry pipe valve enclosures (with low temp.

alarm):

1. Enclosure maintaining at least 40⁰?

2 F f h i l d ?2. Free from physical damage?

3. Trim in correct position (open or closed)

4. No leakage from intermediate chamber?

d. Gages (on dry system with low pressure

alarm or on wet system) in good condition

and showing normal air and water pressure?

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3. Quarterly Inspection Items (in addition to

above items)

a. Alarm devices free from physical damage?

b. Pressure reducing valves and hose valve

tl toutlets:

1. Hand wheels there and in good

condition?

2. Hose threads in good condition?

3. Valves not leaking?


3. Quarterly Inspection Items (continued)4. Reducers in place and good condition?5. No visible obstructions to outlet?6. Valve handle, cap, gasket and restricting

devices in place and in good condition?Fi d t t ti i iblc. Fire department connections visible, accessible, couplings and swivels not damaged, gaskets in place and in good condition, identification sign(s) in place, check valve is not leaking, clapper in place and operating properly and automatic drain valve in place and operating properly?

Fire Department Connection

• (if plugs or caps are not in place, inspect interior for obstructions)


4. Annual Inspection Items (in addition to above items)

a. Hose free from mildew, cuts and

deterioration, couplings of compatible

threads and undamaged gaskets in place andthreads and undamaged, gaskets in place and

in good condition, and hose connected?

b. Hose Nozzles:

1. Nozzles and gaskets in place and in good

condition with no visible obstructions?

2. Nozzles operate smoothly?


c. Hose Storage Devices:

1. Hose properly racked or rolled?

2. Nozzle clips in place & nozzle contained?

3. Undamaged, unobstructed and operable?3. Undamaged, unobstructed and operable?

4. Racks swing out of cabinet at least 90⁰?


d. Storage cabinets:

1. Cabinets have no corroded or damaged

parts, are easy to fully open, are

accessible and identified?accessible and identified?

2. Door glazings in good condition?

3. Break‐glass type cabinet lock functions?

4. All parts, valves, hoses and fire

extinguishers accessible?

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e. Adequate heat available in areas where

water filled pipe is located? (done prior to

cold weather)

f. Interior of dry‐pipe valves (which must bef. Interior of dry pipe valves (which must be

open to be reset) passed internal

inspections?

g. Visible pipe and supports in good condition?

h. Hydraulic nameplate attached and legible?

Examples of Hydraulic Nameplates


5. Fifth Year Inspection Items (in addition to above items)

a. Check valves internally inspected, all parts

operate properly and are in good condition?

b f l d f db. Strainers, filters, restricted orifices and

diaphragm chambers on dry‐pipe and alarm

valves and trim passed internal inspection?

c. Dry‐pipe valves that can be externally reset

passed internal inspection?


B. Testing – Report any failures1. Quarterly Tests

a. Mechanical waterflow alarm devices passed tests by opening the test or bypass connection with alarms actuating and flow observed?g

b. Post indicating valves opened until spring or torsion felt in the rod then closed back ¼ turn?

Mechanical Waterflow Alarm Device Examples

Example of Post Indicating Valve

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1. Quarterly Tests (continued)

c. Priming level correct?

d. Low air pressure signal passed?

e. Quick opening device passed?

f. Main drain test for system downstream of

backflow device or pressure reducing valve:

1. Record static ___ psi & residual pressure

___ psi

2. Flow observed and results comparable?


2. Semiannual Tests (in addition to previous items)

a. Valve supervisory switches indicate

movement?

b. Electrical waterflow alarm device passed

tests by opening test or bypass connection

with alarms actuating and flow observed?


3. Annual Tests (in addition to previous items)

a. Main drain test for systems not tested quarterly:

1. Record static ___psi and residual pressure ___psi

2. Was flow observed?

3. Are results comparable to previous tests?p p

b. All control valves operated through full range and

returned to normal position?

c. Low temperature alarms passed test?

Main Drain Test


3. Annual tests (continued)

d. Dry‐pipe valve partial flow trip test:

1. Record initial air pressure ___psi and

water pressure psiwater pressure ___psi

2. Record tripping pressure ___psi and time

___seconds

3. Results comparable to previous tests?


3. Annual Tests (continued)

e. Automatic air maintenance devices passed?

f. Backflow devices passed backflow test?

g. Backflow devices passed forward flow test?

h. Hose valves for Class I and Class III systems

passed opening and closing test?

i. Pressure reducing valves on hose

connections and hose rack assemblies

passed partial flow test?

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Example of Air Maintenance Device Inspector’s Section

4. Third Year Tests (in addition to above items)a. Dry‐pipe valve full flow trip test:1. Record initial air pressure ___psi and water pressure ___psi

2. Record tripping pressure ___psi and time seconds___seconds

3. Water delivered to inspector’s test?4. Results comparable to previous tests?

b. Hose more than 5 years old passed test?c. Hose valve for Class II systems passed opening and closing test?


5. Tests for every fifth year (in addition to appropriate items)

a. Gages checked by calibrated gage or

replaced?p

b. Pressure reducing valves passed full flow

test?

Example of Pressure Reducing valve


5. Tests for every fifth year (continued)

c. Automatic systems tested at required flows:

1. Record static pressure ___psi and

residual pressure ___psi

2 R d t t l fl2. Record total flow ___gpm

3. Above flows and pressures acceptable?

d. Manual systems not a part of a sprinkler or

standpipe system and semi‐automatic dry

standpipe systems passed hydrostatic test?

5 Year Flow Test

• The test only needs to be run at 500 gpm, even if the standpipe demand is 1000 gpm or 1250 gpm

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C. Maintenance

1. Regular Maintenance Items

a. Dry systems kept in dry condition?

b. Items missing or in disrepair have been

repaired or replaced?

c. Air leaks in dry‐pipe systems causing

more than 10 psi loss per week repaired?

d. If any of the following were discovered,

was an obstruction investigation conducted?


Explain reason(s) and obstruction investigation findings in Part III of NFSA form

1. Defective intake screen on pump supplied

from open sources

2 Obstructive material discharged during flow2. Obstructive material discharged during flow

tests

3. Foreign material in dry‐pipe valves, check

valves or pumps

4. Foreign material in water during drain test or

plugging of inspector’s test connection

Example of Pump Intake Screen Inspector’s Section

5. Plugging of pipe or sprinklers found during

activation or work

6. Failure to flush yard piping or surrounding

mains following new installation or repairsmains following new installation or repairs

7. Record of broken mains in the vicinity

8. Abnormally frequent false‐tripping of dry‐

pipe valves

Example of Plugged Piping Inspector’s Section

e. If conditions were found that required

flushing, was flushing of system

conducted?

f. Adjusted, repaired, reconditioned orf. Adjusted, repaired, reconditioned or

replaced components that had the

associated tests and/or inspections

required by Table 6.1.2 of NFPA 25

performed?

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9. System is returned to service after an

extended period of time out of service

(more than one year)

10. There is reason to believe the system

contains sodium silicate or its derivatives or

highly corrosive fluxes in copper pipe

11. A system supplied with raw water via the

fire department connection

12. Pinhole leaks


2. Annual Maintenance Items (in addition to

previous items)

a. Operating stem of all OS&Y valves

lubricated, completely closed, & reopened?

b. Low points drained before freezing

weather?

c. Hose re‐racked or re‐rolled so folds do not

occur in the same position?

d. Interior of dry‐pipe valves cleaned?

Example of Low Point Drain Testing for Standpipe & Hose Systems

• EVERY FIVE YEARS

Hydrostatic test every five years for manual and automatic dry systems only ( and dry portions of wet systems)

200 psi for 2 hrs or 50 psi over working pressure if greater than 150 psi measured at the low point of each zone

No inside pipe leakage allowed

Testing

• Where water damage is a possibility, an air test shall be conducted on the system at 25 psi prior to introducing water to the system.

Testing for Standpipe & Hose Systems

Since 1992, NFPA 25 has required pressure testing of manual–dry standpipe systems every five years

Versus

Manual wet standpipe systems – water in the pipe goes a long way to establishing that the pipe and fittings are secure

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• Manual wet part of combined sprinkler and standpipe systems shall not be required to be hydrostatically tested

• After any repairs/modifications or indication of system failure

HYDROSTATIC TEST

Example of Standpipe Roof Connection


What you and your customers need to know!

Because of the increased exposure compared to a new installation, the language, scope, and terms of your NFPA 25 inspection agreement or contract are very important. It is very important for you to know the Standard better than anyone. If you have questions, get help; if you need to, get an interpretation.

Automatic Wet Standpipe, circa 1909

Automatic Wet Class I Standpipe, missing handwheel and cap

Class II Hose Station, Damaged hanger

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Class I Dry Standpipe Missing Valve Operating (Direction) Instructions (Open w/Arrow) is on inside of handwheel, handwheel reversed

Riser Piping Should be corrosion resistant; protective bollards?

Visual Inspection

Obstruction Investigation needed? Dry Standpipe, Parking Garage

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Deficiency or Impairment? Summary

• Standpipe systems are mostly for fire department use

• Outlets for Class I standpipes will be located in stairwells or other protected spaces

• Inspections need to be performed to prove that the water supply will be available and that the pipe maintains its integrity

Documents

ITM for Standpipe Handout