With cold weather looming just around the corner, now is the ideal time to begin winterizing your condo’s fire protection system. When temperatures drop, sprinkler pipes and other system components become extremely vulnerable to freezing. This is problematic not only because it makes safety systems less effective, but it also increases the risk of serious water damage as a result of bursting pipes. If you manage a property that is located in a milder climate, you may think this doesn’t apply to your building, but this is not the case. Properties in warmer climates tend to have even greater susceptibility to damage in the event of a cold front, since precautionary measures are more likely to have been ignored or overlooked. Regardless of where your condo is located, a thorough inspection and a few simple precautions can protect your system this winter and help prevent expensive losses and damage.

Step one in your seasonal safety-system maintenance is to schedule an inspection with your fire protection professional. He will examine the condo to ensure that there are no physical deficiencies that could affect your protection system or prevent it from receiving adequate heat during cold weather. Items to be aware of include cracks in the walls, broken windows, insufficient insulation, exposed roof areas and loose siding – all of which allow cold air to permeate the building and make your system more susceptible to freezing. Throughout the fall and winter, condo boards and managers should take notice of any drafts and make sure that all windows, vents and doors remain closed when they are not in use.

For wet pipe systems, your fire protection professional should ensure that all elements are properly equipped to maintain a temperature of 40°F or higher. Close attention should be paid to areas with the greatest risk of exposure, including entryways, attics, stairwells, skylights and areas underneath floors or above ceilings. If parts of your system lack adequate heating, your fire protection professional can suggest ways to extend your existing heating system to reach these areas. Sometimes the solution is as simple as removing a few tiles from a drop ceiling to allow heat to circulate more readily. Additionally, he or she should ensure that sprinklers located closest to heat sources have intermediate to high temperature ratings, which will help prevent accidental activation.

Because dry pipe systems do not generally contain water, they are generally less likely to freeze. However, it is still important to evaluate these systems before cold weather arrives. To begin, your fire protection professional should check your system for missing or broken sprinkler pipe hangers and make any necessary adjustments or repairs, as proper pitch is essential to facilitate drainage. He or she should also drain any condensation from your pipes, and verify that your system has enough air to withstand a drop in pressure as a result of low temperatures.

With winter on its way, prevention is the most efficient, effective and affordable way to maintain your fire protection system and avoid potential safety hazards and costly damage. So if there is one thing you do for you condo building this fall, make sure you schedule an inspection for your fire protection system. It will save you time and money in the long run, but most important, it will help keep the residents safe this winter.

Chuck Castle may be contacted at (301) 927-7300 or via e-mail at ccastle@csafire.com.

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Author : Chuck Castle
Company : Castle Sprinkler & Alarm…
Chuck Castle is the president of Castle Sprinkler & Alarm and ACE Fire Extinguisher Service.

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