Maintaining your sprinkler system is crucial because it will ensure your home is safe and completely protected against a fire.
Just by installing a fire sprinkler system in your home, you can increase your chances of surviving a fire by over 82%. This is because fire sprinklers work to keep the fire small, so it does not have an opportunity to spread throughout your home. Maintaining your sprinkler system is crucial because it will ensure your home is safe and completely protected against a fire. Taking some time out of your day every month or so to inspect your sprinkler system is all you need to do to protect yourself and your family. Here are some tips on maintaining your home sprinkler system.
Do Not Block the Sprinkler
It would be best not to paint over the sprinkler head or block it with furniture or decorations. Doing so not only block the water from flowing but could also interfere with the heat sensor or deflector. It is also important to clean your sprinkler heads regularly. Over time, sprinklers can accumulate dust, debris, or grease that can impede their functioning. You can wash your sprinkler heads with a non-residue, non-corrosive degreasing solution.
Check the Water Pressure
Your sprinkler system needs a sufficient amount of water pressure to be able to spray water throughout a room. It is a good idea to get your local fire department or fire protection company to check the water pressure in your home. Usually, if the rest of the water fixtures in your home have decent pressure, your sprinkler system will most likely too. But it can not hurt to double-check a few times a year.
Schedule a Full Sprinkler Inspection
Regardless of the type of sprinkler system in your home, you should have a fire service professional inspect the system once a year. Since they are more comprehensive, annual inspections can reveal things that periodic inspections do not, such as issues with the pipes deep in the sprinkler system, corrosion of parts in sprinkler units, and an improperly calibrated sprinkler system that fails to respond to the way it should.
Test Your Sprinkler System
The last thing you want to is for your sprinkler system to malfunction during a fire. That is why you must test your sprinkler system about once a month to ensure that it is working correctly. You can do this by opening the test valve and listening for the alarm bell. If the alarm sounds, then you know the sensors are working. You must also know where your fire sprinkler shutoff valve is located and ensure that the fire sprinkler control valve stays open. Knowing how to turn off the sprinklers is just as important as knowing how to turn them on.
Commercial and Residential Fire Sprinklers from Judd Fire Protection
If you want to ensure your home and business are safe throughout the year, trust Judd Fire Protection, LLC. We have over two decades of experience designing, installing, inspecting, and repairing residential and commercial fire protection systems. We serve clients throughout Maryland, Pennsylvania, Washington, D.C., Virginia, and West Virginia. If you are interested in finding out more about our services and protecting your home and business, give us a call at 410-871-3480 or contact us online. For more fire safety tips, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.