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Are Your Pumps Ready? What You Need To Know About Testing Fire Suppression Systems in NYC

As a property owner, you are responsible for maintaining fire suppression systems and pumps in your buildings. Monthly, quarterly, and annual inspections are mandatory to ensure the proper operation of fire safety equipment. Some equipment requires even more frequent checks.

Testing fire suppression systems is not a job for standard maintenance staff. A licensed professional must assess the system, and at least once every five years, the FDNY must witness a flow test. Discover testing essentials to protect your property.

Testing Fire Suppression Systems

The Fire Codes of NYC

Established in 1624 by Dutch colonists as New Amsterdam, New York City maintains a long and rich history. Some of the oldest skyscrapers and residential buildings date back to the late 1800s and early 1900s, such as the Flatiron Building, built in 1901.

To protect the city’s legacy and population, NYC maintains a fire code, holding all properties to strict fire safety standards and regulating fire suppression system installation and maintenance. For commercial and investment property owners, the fire code is not optional. All owners must abide by the conditions or face fines and penalties.

Adhering to city requirements and regular testing of fire suppression equipment is vital to negate potential lethal consequences and property losses from fires. Tests and inspections ensure all equipment functions correctly, highlighting and addressing problems before they evolve or compromise the entire system.

The NFPA 25 Standard

The National Fire Protection Association sets standards for inspecting and testing fire suppression systems. NFPA 25 is the standard for maintaining, testing, and inspecting water-based fire protection systems.

While the standard offers a variety of guidance on testing fire protection systems, the most important piece of information for property owners is section 4.1.1, which designates their responsibilities. According to the standard, the owner is the entity responsible for ensuring all inspections, testing, and maintenance occur and align with the demands of the type of suppression system.

The NFPA standards work as guides to ensure you abide by the codes set forth by the city. The standards do not supersede NYC law but do complement it.

As a NYC property owner, your primary concern is abiding by city and state regulations. Unless you have a proper license or certification, you should not try to handle inspecting or testing your fire protection equipment on your own. For the inspection and regular maintenance of your system and its pumps, contact Antler Pumps and ask about an annual service contract.

Common Fire Suppression Pump Types

Testing Positive Displacement Pumps

Fire pumps are essential to maintaining adequate water pressure in water-fed suppression systems. Pumps fall into two categories: positive displacement and centrifugal pumps. Positive displacement pumps use the same principles as a bike tire pump, collecting a specific volume of water during a pump revolution and forcing it through a discharge line. These pumps need routine inspections to check for misalignment, cavitation, bent shafts, and more that interfere with operations during emergencies.

Testing Centrifugal Pumps

Centrifugal fire pumps provide a constant and pressurized water flow, making them ideal for suppression systems. The pump uses centrifugal force or spinning to suck water into an inlet and redirect it to the discharge. The impellers in the device help provide pressure boosts. The most common centrifugal pumps include:

• – Horizontal split-case pumps
• – In-line pumps
• – Vertical turbine pumps
• – End suction pumps
• – Multistage multiport pumps

Centrifugal pumps in fire protection systems also require routine testing for problems like blockages, vibration, and leakage.

Routine Maintenance and Inspections

Weekly Checkups

Testing fire suppression systems should occur at various intervals throughout the year and range from straightforward visual inspections to in-depth component and mechanism inspections. Visual inspections should occur weekly, and property owners can perform these.

A visual inspection involves walking the length of the system to check for leaks or cracks. If you find any issues, do not attempt to fix them yourself; call a qualified technician for assistance.

Many building owners prefer to sign an annual contract with Antler Pumps, which includes regular inspections and maintenance. Professionals notice things a property owner may not. Also, when you hire a pro, you have proof of visual inspections, churn tests, and other work, meaning less of a risk for FDNY violations.

Monthly Inspections

Monthly inspections go beyond visual checks. The process should include the assessment of control valves, gauges, dry pipe valves, heated enclosures, backflow devices, booster and jockey pumps, and spare sprinkler heads.

Because monthly inspections require more labor and knowledge, it is not appropriate for most property owners or maintenance staff to perform them. Testing fire suppression systems requires the qualifications of a licensed professional.

Professionals maintain all inspection records to comply with NYC and FDNY requirements. While much of a monthly inspection is visual, many parts of the process require an in-depth review of critical components.

Quarterly Assessments

Quarterly testing is similar to monthly inspections but requires additional hands-on tests. The standard visual inspection carries over to the quarterly assessment, but professionals must also check system pressure and other integral devices.

Professionals will assess the water flow and pressure to determine the system’s capabilities. They will also inspect valves, tamper switches, and priming levels. Finally, the pros should perform drain tests to assess backflow devices.

Pump and system assessments require a trained and experienced hand. An annual service contract with Antler Pumps helps ensure compliance with NYC fire codes and the continuous function of installed fire systems.

Annual Inspections

The annual inspection is the most in-depth assessment of a property’s fire protection system. It combines all the visual and physical characteristics of the other tests and checkups and includes internal and external component reviews.

Thorough testing of fire suppression systems calls for disassembling specific components and looking for potential obstructions. In addition, professionals assess compliance with new or existing codes, ensuring they update system requirements when necessary. Once every five years, inspectors perform an internal obstruction assessment during the annual inspection.

Testing Fire Suppression Systems Correctly

Hire Antler Pumps

Testing fire suppression systems is a job best left to professionals. While you or your staff can perform routine visual inspections for leaks, you should leave corrective work and monthly, quarterly, and annual reviews to licensed and certified technicians. Contact Antler Pumps at 212-534-2500 to discuss fire protection systems and schedule an inspection. Also, ask about annual service contracts.