Paint “detrimental to sprinkler
performance”
NFPA 25’s requirements for an annual fire sprinkler inspection, found in
section [Link].1, are crucial for ensuring sprinkler heads work. Sprinklers
should be visually inspected from the floor level for problems, including
leaks, corrosion, physical damage, loss of bulb fluid, loading (with dust
and dirt), and paint not applied by the manufacturer. A sprinkler must be
replaced if any of these issues are discovered — to varying degrees.
The 2023 update added a key phrase to the line about aftermarket paint
(emphasis added):
[Link].1 (6) Paint other than that applied by the sprinkler
manufacturer, detrimental to sprinkler performance
Adding the words “detrimental to sprinkler performance” is a significant
change, and the 2017 edition of NFPA 25 first applied this language to
corrosion and loading, but not paint. So, a literal reading of an earlier
edition meant that any amount of paint on any part of a sprinkler (or
loading or corrosion) triggered replacement. This latest update
recognizes that not all paint (in addition to corrosion or loading) means
a sprinkler won’t activate or distribute water properly. The 2023 Annex
explains:
A.[Link].1 […] Sprinklers having limited corrosion, loading, or paint in locations on
the sprinkler that are not expected to impact the operation or water distribution
characteristics can continue to be used.
There is a difference, the NFPA 25 committee recognizes, between paint
splatter on the heat-sensitive element of a sprinkler that could delay its
activation — or paint gumming up the deflector, blocking its spray
pattern — vs. a drop or two of paint elsewhere on the frame. The 2023
revision gives inspectors the discretion and responsibility to make
judgment calls about whether aftermarket paint will impact performance.
Th
e heat-sensitive element of this sprinkler is painted, so it should clearly
be replaced. But following NFPA 25 changes, a sprinkler with a small
amount of paint on the frame might be able to stay in service, subject to
AHJ approval. Image source: NFPA 13 Handbook (2019 edition)
When to replace sprinklers: aggregating
the rules in one spot
NFPA 25 requires replacing fire sprinklers in several circumstances. We’ve
mentioned some of them already in this article: if they fail the 6-point
annual visual inspection for problems, and if they fail the laboratory test.
There are two other conditions (bolded below), each previously
scattered in different sections of the standard. In the 2023 edition, a new
section lists all the replacement conditions in one spot:
[Link] Replacement Sprinklers.
Sprinklers with any of the following qualifications shall be replaced:
(1) Sprinklers manufactured prior to 1920.
(2) Sprinklers showing signs described in [Link].1.
(3) Sprinklers with unsatisfactory performance when tested in accordance with
5.3.1.
(4) Sprinklers affected by a fire as determined by the AHJ.
None of this is new information, but it’s a concise restatement of all the
conditions where you must replace fire sprinklers.
Check out our previous blog for more information about sprinkler
replacement, including how the process works.
Nitrogen in dry and preaction systems:
NFPA 25 changes to match NFPA 13
The 2023 edition of NFPA 25 has a new section related to using nitrogen
in preaction and dry sprinkler systems. The committee added it to
address an update to NFPA 13: Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler
Systems in that document’s 2022 edition. Specifically, NFPA 13 now gives
designers a hydraulic advantage for using nitrogen instead of air in dry
and preaction systems. Unlike compressed air, nitrogen is inert—it alone
cannot contribute to pipe wall oxidation. Thus, using a high nitrogen mix
instead of air means that the pipe walls stay smoother longer.
Th
is image from Fox Valley Fire and Safety, a fire protection service and
engineering firm in Elgin, Il, shows how nitrogen can help protect the
pipe in dry sprinkler systems from corrosion.
The smoothness of a pipe wall (aka its friction-loss coefficient) plays a
big part in sprinkler system design. NFPA 13’s latest table of friction-loss
coefficients (“C-value”) now includes entries for “black steel with
nitrogen” and “galvanized steel with nitrogen.” We’ve
reproduced Table [Link].1 in NFPA 13 below so you can compare the
C-values for different types of pipe. Remember, a bigger number means
smoother pipes, which is better.
NFPA 13 Table [Link].1 Hazen–
Williams C Values
Pipe or Tube
Unlined cast or ductile iron
Pipe or Tube
Black steel (dry systems including preaction)
Black steel (wet systems including deluge)
Black steel (dry system including preaction) using nitrogen
Galvanized steel (dry systems including preaction)
Galvanized steel (wet systems including deluge)
Galvanized steel (dry systems including preaction) using nitrogen
Plastic all (listed)
Cement-lined cast- or ductile iron
Copper tube, brass or stainless steel
Asbestos cement
Concrete
So, how does this relate to NFPA 25 changes? The 2023 edition now says
that if a nitrogen supply cannot be maintained or repaired, it must be
replaced with a new nitrogen system that meets the original NFPA 13
design requirements.
To some people, it might seem trivial to replace a nitrogen supply with
another compressed-gas source. But when a system is designed based
on C-values that depend on using nitrogen, you have to stick with
nitrogen.
Here’s the new section:
[Link] Where a nitrogen supply is used as part of the dry pipe or preaction system
design in accordance with NFPA 13, it shall be maintained, repaired, or replaced
with a nitrogen supply capable of maintaining design concentrations.
New requirement: annual inspection of
sprinkler guards
Sprinkler guards are cages that protect sprinklers from physical damage
without obstructing water flow. They are useful in environments such as
warehouses, gyms, schools, and grocery stores where impacts are more
common. Like escutcheons and cover plates, sprinkler guards are tested
and listed as part of complete sprinkler assemblies. Specific guards are
designed for particular sprinklers.
NFPA 25 changes in the
2023 edition specify that sprinkler guards like this should be inspected
annually for damage. Image source: NFPA 13 Handbook (2019 edition)
Perhaps surprisingly, past editions of NPFA 25 did not mention all
sprinkler assemblies in the inspection schedules—possibly assuming that
users would follow the rules for escutcheons. After all, sprinkler guards
are installed similarly. But the 2023 edition adds new wording to address
this item:
[Link].7.1 Where installed, a sprinkler guard shall be inspected from the floor level
annually.
[Link].7.2 A damaged sprinkler guard shall be replaced with a guard listed for the
sprinkler.
Like the visual inspection of sprinklers or escutcheons, the guard
inspection happens annually and from the floor level.
NFPA 25 changes for antifreeze fire
sprinkler systems
One of the most complicated topics in NFPA 25 governs using
antifreeze. Several tragic incidents showed that flammable antifreeze
additives could combust as they spray from a sprinkler if they are
improperly mixed or settle in high concentrations. As a result, NFPA
soon changed the antifreeze rules to address this threat, including
issuing various Tentative Interim Amendments (TIAs) outside the normal
NFPA 25 publication schedule.
The 2014 edition of NFPA 25 moved to phase out all grandfathered-in
antifreeze products except listed, factory-premixed solutions with
known and acceptable concentrations. The sunset date for non-listed
solutions came and went in September 2022 (2014 edition, [Link].1).
Now that this date has passed, the NFPA 25 committee aims to explain a
few things.
Every year, NFPA 25 requires an inspection/test of antifreeze mixtures
(5.3.4). If the antifreeze mixture is non-compliant (or cannot be
identified), the system must be drained and refilled. The 2020 edition
said that the old solution should be “replaced with an acceptable
solution” —but this left confusion about the meaning of “acceptable.”
The 2023 edition clarifies both this issue and what to do with non-listed
antifreeze solutions after the sunset date. We now know that
“acceptable” means “a listed solution or an acceptable solution in
accordance with [Link].” By default, only listed antifreeze solutions
are acceptable, but two exceptions to this rule remain:
1. One exception is legacy antifreeze solutions that are not listed
([Link].2). Instead of requiring all non-listed, factory-premixed solutions
to be replaced (as the 2020 edition indicated), the 2023 edition says they
can remain in service if they are below a specific chemical
concentration. Here’s the text:
[Link].2 An existing antifreeze solution shall be permitted to remain in a system,
provided the concentration of the factory premixed antifreeze solution is limited to
30 percent propylene glycol by volume or 38 percent glycerin by volume.
As Dyne USA points out, non-listed antifreeze can remain, but
it cannot be added to a system. So, whenever it becomes necessary to
drain the system, only listed antifreeze can refill it.
2. The other exception is in section [Link].3 of the 2023 edition, which
says that factory-premixed antifreeze solutions with higher than 30
percent propylene glycol by volume can be used with ESFR sprinklers,
assuming the ESFR sprinklers are listed for such use. The 2020 edition
allowed higher concentrations of antifreeze based on an “approved risk
assessment,” but this is no longer permitted.
“Hangar 811 fills with foam during a test of its high expansion foam fire
suppression system Sept. 11, 2020, at Travis Air Force Base, California.”
Image source: US Air Force photo by Senior Airman Cameron Otte
A revised Chapter 11 now covers foam
fire suppression systems
Finally, the 2023 edition of NFPA 25 has a significantly expanded chapter
that broadens the standard’s scope. Chapter 11 now covers foam fire
suppression systems in addition to foam-water systems. These systems
are typically used in aircraft hangars, petrochemical plants, tank farms,
fuel-loading facilities, and power plants, and their installation rules are
in NFPA 11: Standard for Low-, Medium-, and High-Expansion
Foam (2021 edition).
This change reflects the fact that NFPA completely withdrew its previous
standard, NFPA 16: Standard for the Installation of Foam-Water Sprinkler
and Foam-Water Spray Systems, in 2020, combining those installation
rules into NFPA 11. Thus, the installation and ITM rules for
foam and foam-water systems are now consolidated into only two
standards.
The revised chapter includes many topics, including general system
requirements and an ITM schedule (11.1), inspection procedures (11.2),
testing procedures (11.3), and maintenance procedures (11.4). There are
far too many details to cover here. But it’s important to know that
servicing a foam system is now covered in detail within NFPA 25.
NFPA 25 changes, but some ITM
remains the same
The 2023 edition adds some directives, clarifies others, and has an
entirely new chapter covering foam systems. Note that this piece doesn’t
cover all of the NFPA 25 changes; it’s important to closely review specific
sections governing a particular system, device, or ITM task. But our
rundown includes what we think are some of the most interesting or
impactful revisions.
Another important caveat that both building owners and ITM contractors
should keep in mind: just because NFPA has issued an updated standard
doesn’t mean it is legally enforceable in your jurisdiction. Various
editions and versions of model codes adopted in different jurisdictions
explicitly reference previous editions of NFPA 25 to conduct inspections,
testing, and maintenance.
Nevertheless, if an updated 2023 rule is more favorable to a specific
situation, building owners and fire protection professionals always have
the option to make a case for complying with it to the authority having
jurisdiction. NFPA’s standards give AHJs significant discretion in
enforcing standards, and a newer section based on the latest data
represents sound, safe fire protection.
If you need replacement parts to comply with NFPA 25, including fire
sprinklers, escutcheons, cover plates, and other accessories, or testing
and monitoring equipment, check out QRFS’s online inventory.
