As temperatures repeatedly drop below freezing, the Paris Fire Marshal’s Office is reminding building owners of the importance of taking steps to prevent freeze-ups of water-based fire protection systems, such as automatic fire sprinkler systems.
Designers and installers of sprinkler systems take into account the variety of seasonal temperatures during installation. In the case with all water-containing pipes, freezing temperatures can cause sprinkler system pipes to break or leak, hampering proper operation in the event of a fire. Normal precautions should be taken to keep both the building and the fire sprinkler system warm. As we have seen, freezing temperatures outside also make it more difficult to utilize external water sources for fire suppression, increasing the importance of a building’s internal systems.
The National Fire Protection Association’s standard for the installation of sprinkler systems requires that the owner of the property maintain at least a 40 degree temperature in ALL areas containing water-filled piping. To avoid any loss of function of fire suppression systems in your building, the Fire Marshal’s Office offers the following recommendations:
• Make sure heating systems are in good working order and that the thermostat is set high enough to prevent freezing temperatures in all areas of the building. Manually override any energy-saving measures on digital thermostats and other devices that allow the area temperature to drop below freezing.
• Openings to the outdoors should be tightly sealed. Locate the source of any cold drafts, and take steps to remedy them. Seal or caulk cracks around other openings to keep warm air from dissipating and cold air from entering.
• Doors leading to poorly heated vestibules may need to be left open at night to allow heat into those areas.
• In buildings with drop-ceilings, removing a few panels in each room will allow heat to travel into otherwise cold areas containing pipes. Replace tiles as soon as the freezing event is over.
Freeze-ups are not failures of the fire sprinkler system. Water in sprinkler piping, like in any piping that holds water, will freeze when subjected to freezing temperatures. So, sprinkler piping should be kept at temperatures above freezing to ensure that it continues to operate correctly. Take these simple precautions to avoid potentially tragic and costly consequences.
For more information on keeping your sprinkler system winter-ready, contact the qualified fire sprinkler contractor who provides routine inspection, testing, and maintenance on your system. Their contact information should be located near the main control valves of your system on the ITM tag provided after inspection.