How Often Do Fire Sprinklers Need to Be Inspected?

Fire sprinkler systems are one of the most reliable ways to control a fire, but only if they are maintained. Valves get closed, heads get painted or blocked, pipes corrode and alarms stop reporting. That is why fire codes require sprinkler systems to be inspected, tested and maintained on a set schedule, and why insurers and fire inspectors ask to see the records.

This guide explains the typical schedule, what is checked at each visit and how to stay on top of it. Always confirm the exact rules with your local fire department, because each city adopts its own code edition and amendments.

The short answer

Most commercial and multifamily sprinkler systems need an annual inspection and test by a qualified fire sprinkler contractor, with shorter checks in between and longer-term work every five years. In the United States the schedule comes from NFPA 25, the standard for inspection, testing and maintenance of water-based fire protection systems. In Ontario, the Ontario Fire Code requires an annual inspection by a qualified fire protection company, with monthly and other periodic checks by trained building staff or a contractor.

A typical NFPA 25 schedule

Exact intervals depend on the edition of NFPA 25 your fire department has adopted, but a typical schedule looks like this:

• Weekly or monthly: visual checks of control valves, to confirm they are open and sealed, locked or supervised. Gauges on dry, preaction and deluge systems are checked more often than gauges on wet systems.
• Monthly or weekly fire pump runs: electric fire pumps are typically run monthly and diesel fire pumps weekly without flowing water.
• Quarterly: waterflow alarm devices and certain drain tests, plus a check of the fire department connection.
• Semi-annual: testing of valve supervisory (tamper) switches and some waterflow switches.
• Annual: a full inspection of sprinkler heads, pipe, fittings and hangers, a main drain test, operation of control valves through their full range and an annual fire pump flow test.
• Every five years: an internal assessment of the pipe for obstructions or corrosion, and replacement or testing of gauges.

Sprinkler heads themselves also have a service life. Samples of standard-response heads must be sent for testing after 50 years, fast-response heads after 20 years, and heads in harsh or corrosive areas sooner.

Who can do the work?

Building staff can handle many of the weekly and monthly visual checks once they are trained, but the annual inspection and most testing should be done by a qualified fire sprinkler contractor. Some places license this work. In Texas, for example, sprinkler companies must hold a Certificate of Registration from the State Fire Marshal’s Office and their inspectors need a state licence.

What happens if something fails?

Problems found during an inspection are called deficiencies. They range from a missing escutcheon to a closed valve or a leaking pipe. The contractor should list each one in a written report, and you should get them repaired quickly. If a system has to be taken out of service, many fire codes require a fire watch until it is restored.

Tips for building owners and property managers

• Keep every inspection report in one place where you can find it during a fire inspection.
• Book your sprinkler, fire alarm and backflow tests close together so you are not booking separate visits for each system.
• Do not stack storage within 18 inches of sprinkler heads, and never paint heads.
• Tell your contractor before you change how a space is used or what is stored there, because the sprinkler design may need to be reviewed.

Find a fire sprinkler company

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