5-Year Internal Inspection Per NFPA 25.pdf

Internal Inspections & Obstruction Investigations

5-Year Internal Inspection

• Perform a 5- Year internal inspection on every other wet pipe sprinkler system and every dry pipe sprinkler system.

• Perform a 5-Year internal inspection on every check valve.

• During the check valve inspection, we take apart the check valve, check for debris and corrosion, clean out the valve and advise of any issues.

• During the pipe inspection, we will drain the system and check the pipe for the presence of foreign organic or inorganic material (debris, sediment, build-up).

To protect people, property, and production from fire, an internal inspection of piping to monitor corrosion is needed every five years (according to NFPA 25) or more if necessary. If a pipe is corroded or obstructed when a fire ignites, it could cause the fire suppression to fail when needed most. Learn more about what is involved in an internal investigation and the triggers for an obstruction investigation.

• The sprinkler system is checked at the following points:

o Flushing connection at the end of one main.

o A sprinkler head toward the end of (1) branch line.

• If the presence of sufficient foreign organic or inorganic material is found to obstruct pipe or sprinkler heads, the obstruction investigation shall be conducted on all wet sprinkler system and all dry sprinkler systems.

• During the obstruction investigation, we further investigate the following areas:

o System Valves o Riser o Cross Main o Branch Line

• The obstruction investigation may include a flushing of the sprinkler systems, to attempt to clean out any debris from the pipe.

• Please find a list of the triggers for an obstruction investigation on the back of this flyer. Additional information can also be found in NFPA 25 2014 Edition, 14.3 Obstruction Investigation and Prevention.

Obstruction Investigation

An obstruction investigation shall be conducted for system or yard main piping wherever any of the following conditions exist.

1) Defective intakes for the fire pumps taking suction from open bodies of water.

2) The discharge of obstruction material during routine water tests.

3) Foreign material in fire pumps, in dry pipe valves, or in check valves.

4) Foreign material in water during drain tests or plugging of inspector’s test connections.

5) Unknown materials are heard in the system piping during draining, refilling, or otherwise flowing water through the system

6) Plugged sprinklers

7) The presence of sufficient foreign organic or inorganic material is found in the pipe.

8) Failure to flush yard piping or surrounding public mains following new installations or repairs.

9) A record of broken public mains in the vicinity.

10) Abnormally frequent false tripping of a dry pipe valve.

11) A system has been supplied with raw water via the fire department connection.

12) There is reason to believe that the sprinkler system contains sodium silicite or highly corrosive fluxes in copper systems.

13) Pinhole leaks

14) 50% increase in the time it takes water to travel to the inspector’s test connection from the time the valve trips during a full flow trip test of a dry pipe sprinkler system when compared to the original system acceptance test.

All of the above information can be found in NFPA 25 2014 Edition 14.3 Obstruction Investigation Prevention. If you have any additional questions or concerns please do not hesitate to contact us.