The durable signage required by NFPA 13 preserves fire sprinkler systems and the buildings they serve by providing system information and the locations of critical components.
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has complex requirements for labeling the components of a fire sprinkler system. NFPA 13: Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systemscontains 12 sections detailing the different signs required for a system, with many more specific information requirements for each sign. Despite this guidance, some contractors and building owners fail to install or account for all of these signs, which can cause problems beyond a code violation. Missing fire sprinkler signs can result in system damage, liability, or the worst possible outcome: a sprinkler system that fails in the event of an emergency.
In an at Sprinkler Age, fire protection engineer John Denhardt wrote about some of the signage problems he’s witnessed as a fire safety contractor, including one that resulted in “over $500,000 in property damage for one property owner.” The culprit? A missing sign that should have indicated the presence and location of a second control valve. “In an emergency, the control valves were not able to be turned off in a timely manner and no one on-site knew the location of the second control valve.”
Half a million dollars in damage may have been prevented by investing in a sign that costs a few dollars. Clearly, it’s a good investment.
This article will examine the code requirements for fire sprinkler signs according to NFPA 13, simplifying the subject for contractors and building owners.
This collection of fire sprinkler valves has signs for a main drain and control valve. Assemblies like this are often found in riser rooms.
Most fire sprinkler system valves must be identified with metal or rigid plastic signs
Control valve signs
As the name implies, control valves control the supply of water to an automatic fire sprinkler. For the system to work in an emergency, they must remain open.
Closed control valves are a leading cause of sprinkler failure during a fire; if a valve is shut off during testing or installation and a contractor fails to find and reopen it, the sprinkler won’t perform. If components of the sprinkler system are improperly installed and someone needs to cut off the water supply, failing to find a control valve could result in damage to the system and building. And, if a fire has been controlled and the sprinklers need to be stopped to minimize water damage, it’s essential to know where every control valve is located and what portion of the building it serves.
Drain valve signs
A standard interpretation of NFPA’s requirements for drain valves is that a sign needs to identify the main drain valve assembly, which serves to drain water from the system and provides a way to measure water flow during the main drain test. Knowing where the system drains is essential for fire sprinklers that need to be taken out of service for any period of time (for testing or repair), or for systems that must be drained to avoid damage from water freezing in the pipes.
Venting valves signs
Venting valves are used to vent air that is trapped in a wet sprinkler system. Doing so fights corrosion in the interior of the pipes by reducing the amount of oxygen dissolved in the water, which in turn reduces the chances of blockages or leaks. Some vents are automatic, shutting off when water reaches the vent, whereas others are manual, requiring the valve to be closed after removing excess air. These fire sprinkler system signs ensure that they are identified and closed during normal system operation, and used to vent air when required.
Test connection valve signs
The inspector’s test valve can be opened to simulate water flow through the sprinkler riser. These tests are performed for a variety of reasons: ensuring that the water flow alarm works, testing the opening of a dry-pipe or pre-action valve, or assessing how long it takes for water to arrive at an average sprinkler head at system working pressure. The valve should be marked so that it can be easily found to conduct a test and fully closed when not in use.
Anti-freeze sprinkler system signs
Antifreeze systems need specific signs explaining the location of systems that are remote from the riser, as well as the specifications of the antifreeze used in them
he latter requirement was added because antifreeze solutions with too much glycerin or propylene glycol relative to water were found to actually feed a fire. In response, NFPA requires “a mixture of an antifreeze material with water that is prepared by the manufacturer with a quality control procedure in place that ensures that the antifreeze solution remains homogeneous.” Essentially, all antifreeze that is used must be premixed by the manufacturer, with signage detailing that supplier as well as the concentration and volume of the antifreeze in the system. That said, most current antifreeze options are being phased out by NFPA until new, non-flammable mixtures are developed. To read more about this issue, check out our blog: ”
Additional fire sprinkler system signage is required for fire department connections, hydraulic systems, general information, and signaling
NFPA-compliant fire sprinkler systems require signs marking each connected fire department connection (FDC), and they must include the following information:
- The service design of the FDC
- Which part of the building an FDC serves (if it serves only a portion)
- The “pressure required at the inlets to deliver the greatest system demand” – if the system demand pressure is 150 psi or greater.
Hydraulic design information signs
As part of NFPA 13 sprinkler system acceptance requirements, all hydraulically designed sprinkler systems must be appropriately labeled as such “with a permanently marked weather-proof metal or rigid plastic sign secured with corrosion-resistant wire, chain, or other approved means. Such signs shall be placed at the alarm valve, dry pipe valve, preaction valve, or deluge valve supplying the corresponding hydraulically designed area.”
While this hydraulic system sign is properly placed, the contractor failed to complete it, resulting in a code violation. Source: Fire Protection Deficiencies.
There are two basic designs for a sprinkler system: the older pipe schedule method and the hydraulic design. Pipe schedule requires a specific number of sprinklers to be fed off of a specifically-sized pipe at system pressure, whereas hydraulic systems allow the use of a flexible number of sprinklers based on a certain area’s hazard classification. NFPA restricts the use of pipe schedule systems for new installations, so the vast majority of sprinkler systems will be hydraulically designed and require appropriate signage.
General Information signs
All sprinkler systems require a general information sign that details the “system design basis and information relevant to the inspection, testing, and maintenance requirements required by NFPA 25” [25.6.1]. As with certain other signs, it must be “a permanently marked weather-proof metal or rigid plastic sign, secured with corrosion-resistant wire, chain, or other acceptable means”[25.6.2]. The sign must be present at the “system control riser, antifreeze loop, and auxiliary system control valve” and must have up to 19 different pieces of information.
Signaling System Signs
Finally, if a structure has a central station, auxiliary, remote station, or proprietary protective signaling system in addition to a local alarm, NFPA 13 directs that a sign should be installed “near the device” and suggests the following wording: “SPRINKLER FIRE ALARM — WHEN BELL RINGS CALL FIRE DEPARTMENT OR POLICE.”
While most fire sprinkler system signs must be metal or plastic, those not covered by NFPA rules may be made from other materials
NFPA 13 is very specific about the physical design of signs that are required for certain areas. All valve signs, hydraulic design signs, and general information signs must be a “permanently marked weather-proof metal or rigid plastic identification signs secured with corrosion-resistant wire, chain, or other approved means.” In addition, the sign showing the Fire Department Connection must have “raised or engraved letters at least 1 in. (25 mm) in height on plate or fitting” that spell out the service design of the system. Beyond those specific signs, a fair interpretation of NFPA code is that any other markings can be decals, stickers, or placards, as long as they are durable and convey the necessary information.
Keep your fire sprinkler system compliant and safe
Making sure a fire sprinkler system is properly marked doesn’t simply keep it compliant with code – identifying crucial components also helps contractors and building owners avoid liability and reduce the risk of system failure during an emergency. At QRFS, we offer a variety of signs, decals, and stickers to help you satisfy NFPA 13 and other safety signage requirements.
