Deluge valve annual maintenance checklist

Monitoring company, owner and the protected area warned first

Monitoring company placed on test, the owner told, and everyone in or below the protected area warned that open nozzles will discharge, with the call logged before release.

Impairment and fire watch set from release through reset

Impairment opened under the owner's procedure for the release, drain-down and reset, the hazard's operator told, and a fire watch posted where the procedure requires one.

Hazard under the nozzles protected before water is admitted

Equipment, stock and process under the nozzles shut down, covered or moved as the owner agrees, or the area confirmed clear where the test method holds water at the valve.

Detection and release devices tested by the qualified party

Fire alarm technician's test of electric detection and releasing circuits, or the contractor's test of pneumatic or hydraulic pilot heads, observed or its report on file.

Detection-initiated release witnessed end to end

Contractor seen initiating release from detection and from the manual station, the valve releasing in response, release time and time to water delivery recorded against prior years.

Discharge pattern at the open nozzles observed

Water seen reaching every open nozzle in the protected area, the pattern covering the hazard as designed, any plugged or misaimed nozzle flagged to the contractor.

Supply pressure at the valve read while water flows

Supply gauge read before release and again while the nozzles flow, compared with prior years, and a steeper drop than before flagged as a supply or valve obstruction.

Test water followed to its drain or containment

Discharge seen running to the drains, trenches or containment the design provides, none pooling on equipment, backing up or leaving the area where it should not.

Foam proportioning sampled during the flow where fitted

On foam-water systems, concentrate injection seen during the flow and the contractor's proportioning sample recorded against the design, concentrate used replaced before reset.

System drained and dried after the test

Piping to the open nozzles drained and low points confirmed clear after the discharge, the protected area cleaned up before the valve is reset.

Nozzle supply strainer and nozzles checked after the flow

Line strainer on the nozzle supply flushed where one is fitted, and nozzles seen clear of scale the flow carried, any plugged one cleared or replaced before the valve is reset.

Valve reset and supervision restored

Valve reset by the contractor, priming or diaphragm pressure restored to normal, detection, solenoid and tamper supervision confirmed before the system is taken off test.

Supply valve back to full open and the hazard returned to use

Main control valve brought back to full open without water hammer, sealed and supervised, covers taken off the hazard, and the operator told the area can return to normal use.

Monitoring company and owner told the deluge valve is back in service

Monitoring company confirms the release and waterflow signals arrived and the account is off test, the owner told, and the impairment closed in the owner's log.

Observed results and open items recorded on the building side

Observed release and delivery times and any nozzle or valve deficiency the contractor calls out logged with a photo and a date on the site record, kept separate from the contractor's certified report.