Think back to a hollywood movie where a fire sprinkler system went off – either because there was a fire or because the hero activated it to distract the bad guys. What did that water look like? Chances are it was pristine, clear water that looked like the hero could drink if she or he wanted to.

Do you want to know what that water probably would look like in the real world? Look to the left. After 5 years of sitting in those pipes, a noxious smelling combination of sediment, corrosion, and gunk builds up and it needs to be flushed out.

You may be asking, “why do I care?” Well, while having nasty smelling, goopy water spray all over your facility if there is an actual fire is offensive to your nose, there will be greater clean up issues than that. The real concern is preventing that stagnant cocktail of gross from solidifying in areas that will restrict water flow in the event of a fire, or worse yet, block water flow entirely.

NFPA 25, among other things, requires 5-year internal pipe inspection for commercial and industrial fire sprinkler systems to look for the “presence of organic or inorganic material”. Clearly from the images associated with this post, that’s not hard to find.

Fortunately, systems are designed to be flushed and recharged with clean water. This maintenance activity provides the technician with an opportunity to inspect the internal condition of the pipes, maximize the system’s performance in the event it is needed, and prolong the operating life of this crucial component of your building safety.

Call us today at 360 694-9199 to schedule your 5 year internal pipe inspections and sprinkler system flush!