Sprinkler Test- HPD? FDNY? Plumber??
Does anyone know how/where to find the exact rules for sprinkler tests? We own a 4-family… We received a notice from HPD in April stating that as of May 1, 2007, HPD would no longer require sprinkler tests to be filed… Apparently it’s now an FDNY issue. Last week, I had an HPD inspector come…
Does anyone know how/where to find the exact rules for sprinkler tests? We own a 4-family… We received a notice from HPD in April stating that as of May 1, 2007, HPD would no longer require sprinkler tests to be filed… Apparently it’s now an FDNY issue. Last week, I had an HPD inspector come to my building to grant “amnesty” on all the violations from the 1980s (long before we owned the building) and he gave me a “new” violation for not having a current sprinkler test hanging in the hallway. (This, despite the fact that I showed him the HPD letter stating that it was no longer an HPD issue.) I called FDNY and they said, ask your plumber. I called my plumber (who did the test in 2006) and he said, “we no longer do the tests.”
here is a link to the fdny form to which i was directed:
http://www.nyc.gov/html/fdny/pdf/rcny/rcny_form_100.pdf
Does ANYONE know the rules? Does anyone know a PLUMBER who can do the test…
Hey dude,
The rules are:
1. An approved vacuum breaker shall be installed on a loop extending at least twelve (12″) inches vertically above at least one sprinkler head in each zone and twelve (12″) inches above the surrounding ground.
2. The main control valve shall be installed so that it will operate when the various sections are out of service. An electrically controlled valve shall be used.
3. A weep hole shall be located in the distribution piping to reduce pressure in the line so that the vacuum breaker will open at least once each day. The weep hole shall be provided with satisfactory free drainage, be free of obstruction and be located at least twelve (12″) inches below the vacuum breaker. A 1/16″ brass tap may serve as the weep hole.
4. A double check valve assembly listed as acceptable by the New York State Department of Health shall be installed between the main valve and the vacuum breaker.
Also I think there is a class, or is it just a test, that is open to anybody who wants to learn how to do the monthly inspections themselves. Did anybody go through this? It sounded easy when I first heard about it and now I can’t remember where the class or just the test? is given, etc. But it has gotta be better than paying the $90/month for the plumber we use to do this “test”.
Thanks.
You have to use a certified fire inspection company. They are listed in the yellow pages.
ok this is a repeat from the archives, but it’s so useful and not easy to find…so i thought i’d paste the useful url’s again:
http://www.rsanyc.net/articles/121906_sprinkler.htm
(article in plain english about the hpd–>fdny changes)
http://www.nyccouncil.info/pdf_files/bills/law06046.pdf
(legalistic document about the changes)
ok so yes. i’m responding to my own post- just searched the archives and there are obviously a lot of people confused about this sprinkler-test hpd/fdny issue…i just made some headway, so i thought i’d share what i learned:
1) hpd is no longer in charge of this stuff…
2) fdny is in charge, but basically, you can’t set up a plumber-flowtest-appointment until you receive a violation… so advice is to wait til you get that violation and then deal with it… as crazy as that sounds…
3) when that violation happens, you have 90 days to get everything set up… plumber has to set up an appointment w fdny (plumber needs a violation # in order to set up such an appointment) so that fdny-person can ‘witness’ the test. test is very complicated and will cost somewhere around $1500 (minimum), and usu. requires replacing sprinkler-heads and posting multiple signs and blah blah blah.
4) then the owner (or owner-representative or whatever) can get that ‘fitness-test’ (at the fdny at 9 metrotech) so that s/he can perform the monthly ‘visual tests’ … .
confusing? yup. ridiculous?? YUP!!!
if anyone has more information to add to this craziness, or contradictory info, please add it!!!
I just wrote the post above. We had such a nightmare with our plumbing company, which was completely unaware of the change in requiremnts by HPD and the FD, and seemed slightly illiterate, and never came when they said theywould, etc. Can’t recommend them.
Just went through this on our 8 family building. From my understanding, and pardon if I don’t get all the jargon correct, you’ll need someone to conduct a building-wide inspection of the sprinkler heads and replace any that are damaged, grease laden, painted over. They will also need to conduct a flow test at the top of the system and report this on the appropriate forms to the Fire Department. If you don’t already have a gauge at the top, you’ll want the plumber to install one for you. Henceforth, you’ll have to maintain a log of monthly inspections of flow (water pressure at the top of the system). You don’t necessarily have to get a plumber to do this but someone associated with the building will need to pass a test at the FD and get a Certificate of Fitness. Once the plumber has changed out any sprinkler heads, installed a gauge and supplied 6 extra sprinkler heads at the cellar, they’ll need to arrange for the annual flow test with the Fire Department.
At our annual test the Fire Department issued another violation requiring us to post a sign on the exterior of the building indicating the location of the main water connection, posting a fire safety plan and emergency egress instructions on the wall in a prominent location, posting a “use no water sign” on the door to building’s electrical room. We already had a sign on the sprinkler shut off showing that it needed to remain in the open position but we had to provide a lock on the chain holding it open. We also had to put a fire bucket and hose and sign at the top of the system.
I really don’t get all these signs, and the one outside and at the top floor are pretty unsightly, but the vioation carried a $1,000 penalty. I got the signs in place, sent in photos of them and the violation was written off.