If they don't see this on an inspection...what else could they be missing??

What is that, you ask?

It's a concealed type fire sprinkler that has been caulked and painted over...multiple times. 

What's the big deal right?

The big deal is that...this sprinkler will never work. Period.

The caulk is like glue, and won't allow the concealer plate to drop away (to expose the sprinkler). The paint just assures that the cover can't ever drop off. Just like a painted window can't be opened.

Except this will aid in death and destruction.

The worst part, for me as an inspector, is that this sprinkler head is in the main entrance to a building that we were trying to get the inspection for. I mean....THE VERY FIRST SPRINKLER HEAD I SAW!!!!

Turns out we lost the bid, because we weren't the lowest bidder. Hmmmmm. 

Your get what you pay for....lowest bidder. The funny part is that you have the lowest bidder doing an inspection on a building that was built with the lowest bidders. I'm not sure if that is irony or not. I'll have to think about that one. 

While taking a pre-bid tour of this building, I noticed quite a lot of deficiencies; some non-critical, some critical. 

I also noticed A LOT of issues that won't come up on an inspection because the issues are "outside the scope of an NFPA 25 inspection". I put that in quotes because that is what sub-par companies love to say. They will completely look past critical design issues, or sprinkler coverage issues, because it isn't outlined good enough in the inspection code. 

Seriously. 

It makes me sick. 

I said it isn't outlined "good enough". Yes...because design and coverage issues actually are covered in NFPA 25....but it is very easy to skate around. Especially if you are an unknowing client. 

And most (I can't say "all"....but almost "all") inspection contractors take complete advantage of their clients not knowing what they arebsupposedbyo be getting when they pay for an inspection. 

One of the design issues that I noticed, while doing my walk through, could very easily render the buildings entire fire sprinkler and standpipe system useless....like it wasn't even there. Except it is there. And the firefighters might not get any water out of the hose valves that they hook up to in the stairway. Oh, and the building will keep burning because the sprinklers wouldn't work either. That's a "Level 10 Pucker Factor". Just ask any firefighter that worked the night of the One Meridian Plaza fire in Philadelphia (Feb. 21, 1991). 

I also had the opportunity to review some previous inspection reports for this building. And no, nothing that I saw was addressed. 

Go.....figure. 

Low.....bid. 

But, because I want to make sure that this future client of ours has a properly operating system, I'll be setting up a meeting with the building manager, to go over some issues that really need to be taken care of. 

484-321-FIRE

321FireProtection.com

Earth Day - Help protect the environment with Fire Sprinklers

Seriously? You bet!

Fire sprinklers are "green". 

Why? Numerous reasons actually. 

Let's start with water conservation. Most fires that grow big enough to activate a fire sprinkler system, are controlled or extinguished by just two fire sprinklers. For easy math, we will say that each sprinkler is discharging 50 gallons of water every minute (50 GPM) [side note: these numbers will vary depending on water supply and sprinkler selection...like I said....for easy math]. 

So two sprinklers would be dischargibg around 100 GPM. That sounds like a lot of water....but it's not.....especially relative to the next part of our comparison. 

The fire is put out by the sprinklers.....it takes ten minutes from when the sprinkler first activated (and subsequently notified the fire department) until the fire department was on scene and shut the sprinkler system off. 1000 gallons to douse the fire. One maybe two fire trucks hit the road for a total of 2 hours of diesel fuel burning. Everyone goes home. Water damage is taken care of. The business that had the fire stays closes for a few hours....then it is business as usual....but they have an awesome story to tell about how the sprinkler system saved the day. 

Here's the comparison. Same fire, yet no fire sprinklers. Fire burns past the incipient (beginning) phase, and starts to get really hot. It burned for about five minutes before anyone noticed and called the fire department. The chief gets there, sees the smoke, and calls for a second alarm. Now you're going to have anywhere from 6-10 fire trucks there, all burning plenty of diesel fuel. Oh, and they are going to be there for quite a while....it's turning out to be one big fire. Let's say, for easy math, they have 10 trucks there for 10 hours. That's 100 hours of engines running. 

Let's look at water usage now. The fire department, on a big working fire, may dump 1000-2000 GPM for a few hours....maybe even more. This could put water usage over the 20,000 gallon mark.

Let's keep going.....when the place burns down, it will need to be demolished. Then rebuilt. That's a lot of vehicle exhaust, and raw material....

So yeah. Sprinklers are green. 

More than you might think. 

321FireProtection.com

Codes are there to protect you, not to be a nuisance

70 people dead. Since 2012, 70 people have died in fires and/or explosions at one Mexican petroleum company. Thee people were killed just yesterday, and another 100+ were injured. 

Here's a link:

http://mobile.reuters.com/article/idUSKCN0XH2N2

Where's the outrage?

Imagine if this were to happen in the United States. Would there be outrage? Maybe not to the extent that some of us would expect to see. But I'm sure that some politicians would jump on the "fire safety" band wagon for a short time. 

So why doesn't this type of thing seem to happen too often in the United States? Not saying it doesn't happen. But it doesn't happen too often. And it certainly doesn't happen repeatedly at the same company. 

The reason is that we have regulations, standards, codes, and oversight. All the things that people complain about and tend to think is put in place to make their lives difficult. 

So many codes and standards have been created BECAUSE OF horrible tragedies. That's how we roll in the United States. Somewhat reactive. But hey....at least we do something about it. 

All you have to do is look south towards Mexico to see what happens when a country lacks regulation. Death and destruction? Yeah. Seems to be about right. 

Cheap labor + lack of regulation = Bad. 

Yet this is the exact reason companies like Carrier and Kraft are moving operations south of the border. But that's another story. 

70 dead at one company. And nothing seems to happen....seem legit? 

484-321-FIRE

Got recalls?

Recalled sprinkler heads. They are out there. All over the place actually. 

Why are sprinklers recalled? The biggest reason is that they have been found to NOT WORK. Yes. That's correct. There are NUMEROUS sprinkler heads that have been subject to a recall in the past decade or so. 

You're sprinkler inspection company may have mentioned it to you. Maybe they didn't. Maybe they didn't notice. 

They may have given you a line something like ..."they were voluntarily recalled, it's not required to change them."

That is wrong. If your facility is in an area governed by the International Building Code (most areas are), then you are required to change any parts that have been recalled, voluntarily or not. 

Unfortunately, too many inspectors and inspection companies won't look past the watered down inspection code referred to as NFPA 25.

Don't worry. We at 321 Fire Protection Co. got your back. 

We are more concerned than most companies, when it comes to performing thorough inspections. We will also explain everything that we find. We don't just send you an invoice and then not talk to you for a year. 

We actually want to know that your system is going to work when tibia needed. 

Not sure if you have recalled sprinklers?

Call your current sprinkler company and ask them. Ask them if they need to be changed. See what they say. 

If you don't like their answer, or you feel like you are being talked down to, or they just leave a bad taste in your mouth....hang up....and call 321 Fire Protection Co. 

484-321-FIRE

321FireProtection.com

Be honest--Are you running your fire pump 30 minutes every week?

(30 minutes every week) X (52 weeks per year)=26 Hours. 

Your diesel fire pump is required to be run 26 hours every year. This is not "recommended"....this is "required".

I am amazed at how many buildings that I go into, and I see pumps that are 2, 5, 15 years old.....and they only have 4 hours....8 hours....10 hours....

"I guess you don't run your pump weekly?", is my usual question. 

"Am I supposed to be?", is the usual response. 

Analogy time!!!

Would you leave your car sitting in your garage all year, and then depend on it saving your life when you turn the key on a random night in the middle of the winter....?

And if it doesn't start....bad bad things will happen? Like death and destruction!

"I never thought of it like that!" - Another usual response. 

Unfortunately, most people don't think of it like that. Your current contractor may not even think of it like that. 

From the pictures above. This pump was manufactured in 2011....there is a date code on the data plate. 

This pump, albeit 5 years old, it only has 14.9 hours of run time. 

If you follow our little math lesson at the start of this post, there should be somewhere around 130 hours on this pump. 

Who cares right? It gets tested....obviously....because it has almost 15 hours. 

Well...I'll tell you who cares. Your insurance company cares. The people in the apartment building that this pump protects....they care.  The fire department cares....321 Fire Protection Co. cares. 

You'll really understand how much your insurance company cares when the pump doesn't start when there is a fire. First thing....the very first thing they will ask for is your run log. They will send out their lawyers and consultants....they will see 15 hours on a pump that is 5 years old.....and pretty much deny your claim on the spot. 

Think about that. 

Oh yeah....if anyone dies or gets hurt....their lawyers and their insurance companies lawyers will show how much they care too. Hey, even if someone loses  something....anything of material or personal value.....lawsuit city!!!

The list goes on and on. 

The good news is that you won't be alone. Your fire protection contractor will be right there with you because they didn't provide guidance in the maintenance of your systems. They will be party to the suit. 

A qualified contractor will provide you with the training that you need to keep your systems operating properly. And they will also provide you with peace of mind in knowing that you are doing everything right. 

Do you have that peace of mind now?

By the way....if you have an electric fire pump.....that needs to be run every month....for 10 minutes. There is probably not a run time meter on your electric fire pump, but you still need to keep a log, showing that you run it. 

Believe me. It's easier and cheaper to take care of these things on their prescribed maintenance interval....rather than the alternative of the systems not working when they are needed. 

321FireProtection.com

A disaster waiting to happen.

Would you as a building owner, property manager, facilities director, want to know if an incorrect pressure rated welded fitting was used in your building or facility?

This pipe is for a "high zone" supply of a sprinkler/standpipe; it has a normal operating pressure of nearly 600 psi. 

The welded fitting is only rated at 300 psi.

This is a disaster waiting to happen. 

Here's the kicker folks. This is not something that is addressed during your annual fire sprinkler inspection. 

Here's some more food for thought. The company who installed this is probably the same company who does the annual inspection. Think that they are going to tell you that they screwed up and installed the wrong welded fitting? 

But like I said, by code, this doesn't even need to be mentioned...AT ALL!!!

The other kicker is that most inspectors wouldn't even pick this up. 

I happened to notice it as I was walking by. I saw some markings on the pipe that it was the "high zone" supply. I struck up a conversation with a building engineer to find out what the operating pressure was, and voila.....we gained a new client. 

Unfortunately, people only hire "low bidder" for fire sprinkler and other life safety inspections. I've said it before....you get what you pay for. 

Curious to know if you have any "disasters waiting to happen"?

Give us a call at 484-321-FIRE

Or contact us through our website at

321FireProtection.com

We would love to help you with your fire protection questions and concerns.  

Inside of you fire sprinkler pipes. Don't just hope everything will be okay.

We were called for a pin hole leak in a dry system at this facilities parking garage. 

This debris was removed from a section of branch piping (the pipe that sprinkler heads are directly attached). 

If there was a fire, this debris would clog the sprinkler heads; rendering the sprinkler system useless. 

This was found in the city of Philadelphia. Where a 5 year internal pipe inspection was required last year (2015).

Is your fire sprinkler contractor doing what they are charging you for? Or are they collecting a check, sending you a basic inspection form that shows your system is okay, and that's the last time you hear from them until next year?

This finding here (the debris in the pipe) requires further actions (as per NFPA 25 - the inspections, testing, and maintenance code).

Because of this, we will recommend flushing the system. We will also explain what has happened; what caused this; how it can be mitigated; how the flushing process works; the possible results of flushing the system (it could lead to replacing more pipe); and the possible consequences of not flushing. 

It's not a cheap. But it costs a lot less than the lives that could be lost, or the building that could be destroyed, combined with the legal bills you will be faced with when your insurance company brings suit against you for failing to perform the necessary inspections and maintenance.

Don't forget; it is the building owner and/or property manager that is responsible to maintain these systems. 

Fire protection systems cost tens of thousands of dollars (or more) to install. They need to be maintained. Would you buy a $50,000 car and then never maintain it? It's an associated cost of owning or managing a property with a fire protection system. 321 Fire Protection Co will help you do this. 

Make sure you call a qualified contractor. 

Call 321 Fire Protection Co at 484-321-FIRE. We will help you maintain, inspect, and test your fire sprinkler systems. 

321FireProtection.com