Pre-action valve annual maintenance checklist

Monitoring company, owner and zone occupants told before the trip

Monitoring company placed on test for release, waterflow and supervisory signals, the owner and people working in the protected zones told, and the call logged before release.

Protected zones placed under the owner's impairment procedure

Impairment opened for the whole test, drain-down and reset, the zones the valve serves named, and a fire watch posted where the owner's procedure requires one.

Trip method agreed with the contractor before release

Contractor states whether water is held at the valve for a partial trip or admitted to the piping for a full trip, as the test method and the manufacturer allow, and the method is recorded.

Supply, supervisory air and priming readings taken before release

Supply water, supervisory air and priming gauges read just before release, giving a baseline against the prior test and the values the trim must return to after reset.

Detection and releasing circuits tested by the fire alarm technician

Fire alarm technician's functional test of the detectors and releasing circuits observed, or the report on file, with every detection zone shown reaching the releasing panel.

Each interlock condition tried alone before the full release

Detection alone and loss of supervisory air alone each tried as the contractor directs, the valve releasing only on what its interlock type calls for and the panel showing each step.

Detection-initiated release witnessed end to end

Contractor seen initiating the release from detection, the valve tripping in response and the interlock behaving as designed, trip time and time to water delivery recorded against prior years.

Release solenoid and manual station proven during the test

Solenoid seen opening on the release signal and the manual release station exercised as the contractor directs, no lag suggesting a fouled or partly isolated release path.

System dried and low points confirmed clear

System drained after the test and low-point drains confirmed clear of trapped water before it is re-pressurized, so nothing sits to freeze in a cold space.

Clapper or diaphragm, latch and seat examined with the cover off

Supply shut and the valve drained, the contractor opening the cover to clean the clapper or diaphragm, latch and seat, wear judged and parts renewed per the manufacturer.

Release trim strainer and priming supply seen cleaned

Strainer and restricted orifice on the priming or release trim seen cleaned by the contractor, since a plugged priming supply can let the valve open on its own.

Valve reset and supervision restored

Valve reset by the contractor, priming and supervisory air restored to normal, releasing panel and tamper supervision confirmed before the system is taken off test.

Detection zones re-enabled and the releasing panel cleared

Every zone disabled for the test re-enabled, releasing circuits back to normal, and no alarm, trouble or supervisory condition left standing, confirmed with the fire alarm technician.

Monitoring company and owner told the pre-action system is back

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

Observed results and open items recorded on the building side

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