Inspection Requirements for Standpipe Systems

Standpipe systems have served a long-standing role in fire protection. They are credited with making the construction of modern skyscrapers possible by providing the means for the first time to fight fires on every floor effectively, no matter how tall the building. 

However, they are only effective if properly maintained. Good maintenance begins with regular inspection. The inspection and maintenance requirements for standpipe systems are provided in the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 25: Standard for the Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance of Water-Based Fire Protection Systems. 

This post provides a detailed discussion and checklist of the inspections required for standpipe systems. However, because different municipalities may adopt different editions of the NFPA 25 and/or different parts within it, you should always check with the Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) in your area to determine the exact requirements you must follow for your inspections. 

It is important to note that this post provides only the inspection requirements and does not address testing requirements. Many inspections are conducted during testing that must be conducted on your system every 3-5 years. The information provided here is presented in terms of the different components of a standpipe system and explains the purpose of each and the frequency and type of inspections required. These components include: 

• System piping
• Fire pumps
• Hoses and hose assemblies
• Valves
• Gauges
• Water flow alarms 
• Drains
• Fire Department Connections

System Piping

Standpipe systems are typically equipped with an extensive system of piping capable of carrying water throughout the building and up to every floor. While some systems include underground piping, inspections are required only for above-ground piping once a year.

Fire Pumps

Fire pumps are used in automatic and semi-automatic standpipe systems to provide the pressure necessary to ensure the flow of water through the system. If your building has a manual standpipe system in which the water and pressure are supplied by fire department trucks, you can skip this section. Otherwise, you have a rather exhaustive list of inspection requirements to meet.

Hoses and Hose Assemblies

Not all standpipe systems are equipped with hoses. Class I standpipe systems are high-pressure systems, which can only be operated by trained firefighters. So, if your building has one of these systems, you don't have to worry about inspections of hoses and hose assemblies. However, if your standpipe is equipped with a hose, this section will be relevant. With the exception of hose valves that must be inspected quarterly, hoses and most of the hose assemblies' components must be inspected annually.

Valves

In addition to hose valves, there are a number of other valves in standpipe systems, each with its own inspection requirements. 

Control Valves — The purpose of control valves is, as the name suggests, to control the flow of water through the system. They are used to cut off the flow of water through the system when it is time for testing or to make repairs. Control valves are required in three areas of a standpipe system -- at the connections to water supplies, in isolated areas of the system, and at all connections to sprinkler systems. Locating them at these points in the system allows technicians to take one part of the system out of service while leaving the remaining parts operational. 

Inspection requirements for control valves can be weekly, monthly, and quarterly depending on whether they are locked and how they are supervised.

Dry Pipe Valves — These valves are used only in automatic dry standpipe systems at the junction between the water supply and the highly-pressurized air in these systems' pipes. The pressurized air in the pipes of a dry pipe system keeps the valve closed. When the air pressure in the pipe drops, the valve opens and allows the water to flow through the system to put out the fire. The inspection for these types of valves is an internal inspection, which must be conducted monthly.

Preaction and Deluge Valves — These valves are used only in semi-automatic dry standpipe systems and are designed to be activated manually with an electrical signal from a pull station. Preaction and deluge valves are generally required to be inspected monthly. However, those installed in areas subject to freezing must be inspected daily or weekly during cold weather, depending on whether or not they are equipped with a low-temperature alarm. Internal inspections of Preaction and deluge valves that can be reset without the removal of a faceplate are required every five years.

Pressure-Restricting Valves — Pressure-restricting valves are used in standpipe systems for tall buildings to reduce the pressure coming out of the hose connections on the lower floors. Getting water to the upper floors of the building requires a lot of pressure due to gravity. Without pressure-restricting valves to reduce that pressure, the flow through the hoses could become unmanageable for firefighters working on those lower floors.

Check Valves — These are valves designed to ensure that water flows in only one direction. In standpipe systems, check valves are critical at fire department connections (FDC) to protect against backflow into the public water supply. They also help to avoid spillage when the hose is disconnected. Check valves are also used in sprinklered buildings to prevent highly-pressurized water in the standpipes from entering the sprinkler system, which is maintained at a lower pressure. 

Gauges

In standpipe systems, you can find gauges at the top of each standpipe, at every water supply connection, and at hose stations with a pressure-reducing valve. You'll also find them upstream or downstream of any master pressure regulating assembly and above and below each alarm check valve, dry pipe valve, deluge valve, backflow preventer, or system riser check valve. Their purpose, regardless of their location, is to provide pressure readings during testing and assess the system's normal operating pressure. Depending on the type of gauge, monthly or quarterly inspections are required. 

Water Flow Alarms

With the exception of manual standpipe systems in which the water is supplied by the fire department pumper trucks, all standpipe systems require a water flow alarm device to be installed on the piping between the water supply and the initial hose connection.

The purpose of this alarm is to notify people in the building that the system has engaged so that personnel can determine if the emergency is real, which is critical to preventing water damage in the event of a false alarm.

Drains

Every standpipe system will have at least one drain and often many. The main drain allows technicians to conduct the required annual testing of the standpipe system. This drain is located downstream of the water supply and the main control valve.  

Most of the inspection requirements for standpipe drains are covered in their annual testing. However, it is still important to conduct routine inspections to ensure that you have all the required signage needed to identify and locate them.

Fire Department Connections

Class I (manual) standpipe systems -- the kind used where public water supply or other water supplies are not available -- require a fire department connection (FDC). The FDC allows firefighters to connect their pumper trucks to the system to supply the pressurized water into the system to fight the fire. FDCs are also required for all Class III systems, those that have their own water supply and fire pump, to safeguard against any malfunction of the pump during an emergency.

The external components of an FDC must be inspected quarterly, and the interior components must be inspected annually.

Inspections are key to a properly functioning standpipe system

The most common problems found with standpipes are preventable with good housekeeping and maintenance. Always keep the area around your standpipe and valves cleaned and painted to prevent corrosion and conduct all the inspections we've described here. Common problems like leaking valves and damage to devices can lead to costly repairs if they go unchecked, and more importantly, can cause your system to fail when you need it most.   

If any of your inspections identify a problem or deficiency, it must be corrected right away to ensure the protection it was designed to provide. If you need assistance with any aspect of the inspection, testing, maintenance, or repair of your standpipe system, just give the experts at Koorsen Fire & Security a call. We can help ensure your system stays on track and up to code and can help address any questions or concerns you may have.