Winterising Your Fire Sprinkler System

As the colder months approach, it is time for building owners and facilities managers to prepare their fire sprinkler systems for winter. Often, this can be overlooked, but it is a crucial part of building safety and a vital step to take to ensure these systems remain operational as freezing temperatures arrive.

Here at Hydro Protect, our priority is the safety of your property, which is why we’ve compiled the essential steps you should take in winterising your fire sprinkler system.

Why Is Winterising Your Fire Sprinkler System So Important?

Ensuring your fire sprinkler is maintained ahead of the winter months is crucial, and proactivity is essential. Frozen water in your fire sprinkler system can cause significant damage to equipment, including the sprinkler tanks, valves, pipework, fittings and sprinkler heads.

Carrying out the right winterisation procedures during the colder months can prevent burst pipes and pipe corrosion. This will compromise the system.

Winterisation also prevents legal liability and insurance coverage issues in the event of a fire due to the failure to maintain a properly functioning system. A damaged sprinkler system can lead to costly water damage from burst pipes within the building, requiring time-consuming and expensive pipe repair work.

What Are The Risks Of Cold Weather?

The cold weather could potentially render your entire sprinkler system inoperable, compromising your building’s safety and putting its occupants at risk. Therefore, making the right arrangements to ensure your system is ready for winter is vital.

Key Fire Sprinkler Winterisation Steps To Take

Consider Your System Type

Wet Pipe Systems

These systems are permanently charged with water and, therefore, require careful monitoring of ambient temperatures.

Dry Pipe Systems

These systems are less susceptible to freezing; however, they will require properly installed air compressors that are in good working order.

Pre-Action Systems

Check the air change and the associated detection system.

Tail End Systems or Subsidiary Pipe Systems

These require extra attention in unheated areas.

For systems installed under BS 9251:2021, including fire sprinkler systems for domestic and residential occupancies, the same principles of frost protection apply, particularly to pipework in lofts, voids, or unheated garages. The technical demands will differ from commercial systems, but proper maintenance as per BS 9251:2021 is equally critical to prevent freezing and system failure.

The Importance Of Consistent Maintenance

Consistent fire sprinkler system maintenance is crucial, as it ensures reliability in emergencies, protecting lives and property, whilst also ensuring compliance with legal requirements and insurance policies. Maintenance can also pre-empt where repairs will be needed, catching issues as they develop, before they can escalate into major, more expensive problems.

Duplication Of Trace Heating Elements

Having duplicate elements to protect the pipework from freezing is key. Each circuit should be separately monitored, with weekly checks carried out as per TB 203 to ensure the electrical trace heating is fully operational and monitored. The separate monitoring signals should also be functioning.

Lagging

You should also inspect the condition of all thermal insulation and lagging. If any sections appear to be damaged, worn or missing, they must be replaced immediately. You should ensure that the material meets appropriate Euroclass fire resistance requirements.

Enclosures

Where enclosures contain sprinkler equipment, such as pumps and installation control valve sets, these must have adequate heating. The heating system must be automatic, and the thermostats should be checked for correct operation. They must also be set at the right temperatures.

The Sprinkler Pumphouse

If your sprinkler system is served by fire pumps, the sprinkler pumphouse must always be maintained at the correct temperature. This is 4c for pumphouses that contain electric motor-driven pumps, and 10c for pumphouses with diesel engine-driven pumps.

Tanks

The ball valves on your sprinkler tank must not be allowed to freeze. Often, tank manufacturers produce a special immersion heater which ensures that the water around the ball valve does not freeze. You should ensure that the tank’s immersion heater is also tested.

The water supply pipework into the tank and the suction pipework from the tank should both be adequately protected with trace heating and lagging.

Pressure tanks and houses should also maintain a temperature of 4c or above.

System Drainage

Before winter, wet pipe, alternate wet and dry pipe and tail-end air systems should be thoroughly drained to ensure no water is trapped in the pipework. Whilst this is done, the pipework should be checked for signs of damage. Damaged pipe work can cause various issues, for example, where brackets are damaged, and the pipework no longer has drainage slopes, water can become trapped and become subject to freezing.

What Routine Testing And Documentation Should I Do?

Neglecting your fire sprinkler system and failing to prepare it for winter directly breaches compliance requirements, which can risk system failure, property damage, and potentially invalidate your insurance policies. Proactive maintenance is the only way to ensure your system remains reliable as a first line of fire defence.

For commercial systems, a competent sprinkler servicing contractor should conduct a quarterly review of the system’s hazards, including assessing the adequacy and function of frost protection measures. This is a non-negotiable requirement of BS EN 12845, more specifically Clause 20.3.2.2.

For domestic and residential systems, the maintenance schedule must align with BS 9251:2021, which also mandates regular inspection of system components, including frost protection measures in vulnerable areas.

Every weekly check, drain procedure, and repair to the heating or insulation must be meticulously logged in the system’s maintenance record book. This is essential for maintaining certification and validating insurance coverage under both the BS EN 12845 and BS 9251:2021 standards.

Why Choose A Professional For Fire Sprinkler System Servicing

Choosing a professional for fire sprinkler system servicing is vital for legal compliance, system reliability and comprehensive checks that an untrained person would not be capable of.

A professional will have specialist knowledge and equipment to conduct detailed testing, identifying issues and performing repairs where necessary to guarantee optimal performance and safety.

Ultimately, your fire sprinkler system is a life-saving system that must work reliably. Calling a professional to carry out your winterisation procedure provides peace of mind that the system is properly protected from harsh winter conditions and ready to act when needed in an emergency.