Cold Weather Tip: Sprinkler Valves

In a winter-time cold snap, it’s inevitable that departments will be called to respond to numerous broken water pipe incidents.  Almost every firefighter in the country can find at least a handful of sprinkler-protected buildings in their response area.  While we can certainly all agree as firefighters that sprinkler systems are a tremendous benefit to life safety, excessive water runoff from operating heads after a successful fire knock-down, as well as broken or ruptured pipes during the winter months, can all lead to major damage for a business or property owner.  A quick and easy company-level training drill is to locate and discuss sprinkler system valves as you walk around the buildings in your first-due area.

As sprinkler system piping rises up vertically to different levels of a multi-story structure and branches out horizontally across a particular floor, a floor-control valve (or “isolation” valve) is often available to stop water flow to that specific floor area.  Controlling these valves allows the fire crew to quickly stop water flow to that floor only, while still maintaining sprinkler coverage on all other floors, as well as maintaining available flow to the standpipe system (if present).  Fire crews that are unaware of the presence or location of these individual floor-control valves will often simply shut the water flow off to the entire system at the large OS&Y valve in the sprinkler or fire pump room.  While that action may well be shutting off the main source of the water supply, the water flow from the ruptured head will only cease once the water from the piping of all floors above has drained through the ruptured head.

The location of these floor-control valves can vary, and pre-planning is critical.  Often, the valves will be clearly visible in stairwells along with the vertical riser piping and standpipe system outlets, found inline with the smaller sprinkler line piping as it turns off horizontally onto each individual floor.  Sometimes, the valves are hidden above a nearby panel of dropped ceiling on the floor itself near the stairwell.  Remember that the valves are often locked with a chain and padlock to keep them from being tampered with.  For water flow control prior to the closure of these isolation valves, a 2 ½” or 3” hose can be placed over the operating head or slid over a section of broken, hanging pipe to divert the water flow to a nearby window or bathtub.  Commercial devices are also available to quickly plug a head.  Once flow is stopped, removal of a toilet is a simple way to quickly drain water from an apartment with the help of some squeegees from the ladder truck.

The closure of a floor control valve, along with quick opening of the nearby drain valve, can effectively minimize property damage.  However, be sure to remind your firefighters that premature closure of the valve is always a concern when an actual fire has occurred, and not just a broken water pipe.  A firefighter in radio communication must be left at the valve at all times during the incident until complete and total fire control is verified.  If you’re wondering which buildings in your area have these isolation valves, it’s time get on the rig and go find out!