Fire Pump Inspection and Testing
Since pressure sensing lines in fire pumps help maintain designed pressure on each fire sprinkler system, make sure you know how to take care of them. When your fire pump stops working, the fire sprinkler system won’t get to the desired water pressure during an emergency. Thus, maintaining it would help you diagnose and prevent potential issues before they get worse.Inspections are visual observations to verify that a fire pump system appears to be in good operating condition. It determines whether the system is free of physical damage. On the other hand, tests include hands-on simulations that mean taking actions on the fire protection system. Below are some key fire pumps tests and inspections:
- Weekly fire pump tests: This includes inspecting the condition of your pump room and the fire pump system.
- Monthly fire pump inspections: This includes checking the pump operation. You should run the test for 10-15 minutes.
- Annual fire pump inspections: Check the pump operation for both diesel and electric pumps. Test the alarm signals and be sure to service hydraulic systems, mechanical transmissions, and motors on an annual basis.
- Perform weekly fire pump tests that can be carried out by a designated person.
- Inspect the power source of your fire pump, be it an electric or diesel engine.
- Make sure the source can be cycled once or twice a year.
- Maintain lubrication to prevent parts inside the fire pump from locking in place.
- Check the fire pump components inside your fire pump, including the fire pump casing relief valve, the packing, and the casing relief valve.
- Don’t forget to monitor your water pressure gauge. And if it is above/below the normal value, contact your fire protection professional.
According to NFPA 25…
Inspection, testing, and maintenance of water-based fire protection systems, including fire pumps, should comply with industry standards. These standards will help you maximize the system’s integrity and avoid potential pump failures. They establish the minimum requirements for the periodic inspection and maintenance of your sensing line for fire pumps. The key requirements include the changes in occupancy, use, operation, materials, hazard, or water supply that can impact the performance of the fire pump system.Also, NFPA standards address the operating condition of fire protection systems, such as impairment handling and reporting. They apply to fire protection systems and ensure that the system has been properly installed by generally accepted practices. Keep in mind that these standards do not require the inspector to verify the adequacy of the design of the system. This requirement is not a part of the periodic inspection and maintenance standard.
Since corrective actions are needed to ensure that your fire pump system operates satisfactorily, it should be in accordance with the NFPA standards. In addition to that, if your sprinkler or the pressure sensing lines in fire pumps show any signs of the following, it should be replaced:
- Corrosion
- Leakage in the system
- Sudden loss of water pressure
- Any physical damage like bending and warping
Final Remarks
We offer an array of fire pumps that can be the best solution if your building is equipped with a sprinkler system. It requires constant water pressure regardless of varying demand or fluctuation in the incoming pressure. We supply branded fire pumps for commercial, industrial, and residential applications. From smaller commercial facilities to manufacturing industries, our line of diesel fire pumps can be a good fit for any application.To find out more about pressure sensing lines in fire pumps, contact us.
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