In-house Sprinkler Valve Inspections

Sprinkler valves are an important part of a fire protection system that controls the pressure and flow rate of the water supply.

You want to make sure that your sprinkler valves are in good working order because you never know when a fire will occur and water will be needed to prevent it from spreading further. Regular inspections can help maintain your sprinkler valve systems, identify any deficiencies, and ensure they remain functional.

What to look for during routine sprinkler valve inspections:

• Water pressure - document in PSI or kPA. You want to make sure that the sprinkler valves have sufficient pressure to reach and extinguish a fire if required.
• Position of the valves - are they positioned in their normal open/closed state?
• Accessibility - are the valves easily accessible? Are there any obstructions near the valves?
• Condition - are the valves in good condition? Is there any physical damage present?
• Leaks - are there any external or internal water leaks?
• Labels - are the valves labeled properly? Do you know which valves are located where and what systems or areas they control?
• Are the valves sealed, locked or supervised correctly?

To ensure your sprinkler valves are operational, complete visual inspections regularly. Be sure to document and store your inspection records in an organized manner that is easily accessible.

How digital tools improve routine sprinkler valve inspections:

• Documented records of your sprinkler valve inspections that are easily accessible and demonstrate your due diligence.
• Property dashboards to see an overview of your inspections, including any locations that are near-due or have been missed.
• Automatic reporting so that responsible stakeholders are informed of any deficiencies or missed inspections.
• Reduction of false-reporting — digital solutions contain tailored information relevant to each sprinkler valve, confirming inspectors are at the correct location.
• On-the-spot guidance for inspectors, including what an open valve looks like vs. a closed valve, what the corresponding gauges should look like, and the appropriate level for building riser pressure.
• Ability to add detailed notes and photos to any inspection.
• Analytics to help forecast where resources are needed by identifying trends across multiple locations.

Before going digital, one of our clients had staff members carry printed instruction booklets in their pockets to help them understand what an open valve looks like vs a closed valve, what the corresponding gauges should look like, and what the appropriate level for building riser pressure should be. With over 200 sprinkler valves in the facility, not all gauges looked the same and their position varied so it was difficult to train staff members to understand these nuances.

After implementing a digital inspection solution, inspectors received specific instructions tailored to that specific sprinkler valve, including what gauge to look at and document pressures for. This on-the-spot guidance helped ensure that the inspections were done properly and removed human error by ensuring that the inspector wasn't mixing up the sprinkler valve locations. This guidance was beneficial for both existing and new staff members.

Managers were also kept in the loop if any sprinkler valve inspections were missed. They also had the ability to see trends like which systems were going up in pressure and which valves kept leaking, assisting with future forecasting and budgeting. Managers became equipped with the information they needed in order to make informed decisions about what needed to be fixed and when.

For information on how to streamline your sprinkler valve inspections, contact us at customerservice@tapreport.io.

About Tap Report

Tap Report is a Canadian software company that provides a digital solution for managing workplace inspections, safety compliance, and operational reporting. It replaces manual processes, such as paper checklists and spreadsheets, with a mobile and web-based system that allows teams to complete inspections, capture data, and generate compliant reports.

Through an easy-to-use interface and automated workflows, Tap Report helps ensure that inspections are completed, deficiencies are categorized and tracked, and issues are escalated efficiently to the right people. It also offers analytics, customizable reporting, and integrations that helps organizations improve safety, compliance, and operational performance.

For more information, visit www.tapreport.io or contact us at customerservice@tapreport.io.