Inspections of Fire Sprinkler Systems – Hydraulic Design Placards

Under 2011 NFPA 25, there are many requirements for the inspection and testing of a building’s fire sprinkler system and its many working components, including parts of the system that will never do anything if a fire occurs!

These commonly overlooked parts of the system are the Hydraulic Design and General Information Signs. Though not working parts of the system, these fire sprinkler hydraulic placards are key to identifying the specifications of the hydraulically designed system and what its capabilities are in regards to the type of building classification and storage protection.

Contact Ahern for Replacement Hydraulic Design Information Signs

These signs or placards are to be placed at each system control valve or riser and shall be permanently marked on a weatherproof metal or rigid plastic sign and secured in a way that they will not fall off or be removed and include the following system information:

• Name and place of facility protected
• Occupancy classification
• Commodity classification
• Presence of high piled and/or rack storage
• Maximum height of storage planned
• Flow test data
• Presence of flammable/combustible liquids or other hazardous materials
• Location of auxiliary drains and low point drains on the dry pipe and reaction systems
• Original results of main drain flow test
• Name of installing contractor or designer
• Indication of presence and place of antifreeze or other auxiliary systems

Many times during a quarterly or annual inspection these hydraulic design information signs are not at each fire sprinkler system control valve or they are not legible due to damage or fading. This is very common if they are in storage or mechanical rooms that have chemicals and a corrosive atmosphere.

If a fire sprinkler hydraulic placard is missing or cannot be read, the inspector will note it as a deficiency and the building owner will be responsible to get a replacement sign. Many times this is just as easy as contacting the installing contractor and they will supply a new sign at little or no cost.

In the event the original installer is not known, no longer in business, and the original drawings cannot be located, the owner will have to contact a fire sprinkler contractor to do a design survey of the building and fire sprinkler system to gather the required information to create new placards.

For more information on fire sprinkler systems, contact Ahern today.

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