| While automatic sprinklers have an enviable
record of reliability against accidental discharges, occasional physical damage and small fires may
require that one or more sprinklers be replaced on short notice. Rather than shutting down a facility's
fire protection and leaving an entire property unprotected, NFPA 13, Installation of Automatic
Sprinkler Systems, addresses the problem by requiring a stock of spare sprinklers be kept on the
premises for prompt replacement.
NFPA 13 requires that a supply of at least six spare sprinklers be maintained on the premises so that
any sprinklers that have operated or been damaged in any way can be replaced promptly.
The sprinklers must correspond to the types and temperature ratings of the sprinklers in the property,
so if there are standard spray uprights, quick response pendants and Early Suppression Fast Response
(ESFR) like those pictured, a representative inventory of each must be provided.
The sprinklers should be kept in a cabinet located where the temperature to which they are subjected
will at no time exceed 100 °F (38 °C). Where dry sprinklers of different lengths are installed, spare
dry sprinklers are not required if there is a means of promptly returning the system to service.
The stock of spare sprinklers shall include all types and ratings and shall be as follows:
Facility
Sprinkler Count
Minimum Number of
Spare Sprinklers
Less than 300 6
300 to 1,000 12
More than 1,000 24
A special sprinkler wrench for each type of sprinkler must be provided and kept in the cabinet.
A list of the sprinklers installed in the property must be posted in the sprinkler cabinet.
Used with permission from NFPA 13, Installation of Automatic Sprinkler Systems, Copyright
2007, National Fire Protection Association. |
Article
ARE YOU STOCKING SPARE SPRINKLERS?