(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.
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
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