Corrosion is a continuous and virtually unstoppable force of nature, and it is on the rise.  Corrosion occurs when the oxygen present in air trapped within fire sprinkler systems interacts with water or moisture and the metal pipes. Virtually all commercial fire sprinkler systems are susceptible to corrosion’s damaging effects.

It often starts with pinhole leaks, builds to mineral deposits that can clog pipelines, and ends with sprinkler pipes being destroyed from the inside out.  In addition to attacking the sprinkler system, corrosion can also result in ceiling staining, water damage, mold growth, and even electrical system failure.

Corrosion monitoring is the key to addressing corrosion before it causes leaks and other damage.

Continue reading CORRinSITE – Reliable Corrosion Monitoring Made Simple →

Model 5400 Protects New Stadium’s Fire Sprinkler System from Freeze-Ups

Utah State University, located in the Northern Utah Mountains, is known for its top-notch academics and research and nationally recognized for its athletics.  In August 2016, Utah State’s Division 1 Aggies return to their newly renovated and renamed football stadium for the start of the 2016 season.

While the fans, students, staff, and public celebrate the premium enhancements and state-of-the-art upgrades, they will also appreciate the safety improvements incorporated into the renovation.  The kind of improvements most people never see or notice, but are critical to ensure the safety and protection of both lives and property.

AGF Manufacturing is proud to announce that our COLLECTanDRAIN® Model 5400 Auxiliary Drains are part of the Maverik Stadium Renovation.

Continue reading AGF’s COLLECTanDRAIN Part of Utah State’s Maverik Stadium Renovation →

According to a study initiated by NACE (National Association of Corrosion Engineers), the annual cost of corrosion is $276 billion dollars. It is estimated that corrosion in mechanical systems accounts for $69 billion when including all of the effects such as prevention, containment, remediation, and damage repair/replacement.

Continue reading The Price of Corrosion →

“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”
-Benjamin Franklin

These words ring just as true today as they did when they were first spoken.

Every year work routines are disrupted, revenue is lost, property is damaged, and thousands upon thousands of dollars are expended because an ounce of prevention is often overlooked until it is time for a pound of cure. This is usually the case when dealing with problems relating to a dry fire sprinkler system, especially in winter.

Continue reading Winterizing Dry Fire Sprinkler Systems →

The winter of 2012/2013 was still a painful memory for U-Haul Moving and Storage of Hanover in Massachusetts when they started experiencing similar system break downs due to freeze-ups at the beginning of this past winter. Rather than calling contractors back multiple times to fix the same “problem child” auxiliary drains, they decided to be proactive.

Continue reading No More Iced Storage in Hanover →

If your parking structure is enclosed, if the ceiling is less than 24 inches above grade, if your structure is of Type III or Type IV construction over 50 ft. in height, if your parking structure is immediately below or adjacent to a building used for another occupancy, chances are that it has a fire sprinkler system installed. And if you do have a sprinkler system installed in your parking structure the chances are good that it is a Dry System.

Continue reading Don’t Get Burned by Sprinkler System Freeze-Ups →

Like many in our industry, when I walk into a building I tend to look for and notice things differently than the usual visitor. I look for a sprinkler system. While some may choose to take the stairs for exercise, I do it to check out the building’s riser; it has just become a habit. What I am always most interested in is the collection of pipes, valves, fittings, and components that make up the Floor Control Assembly.

Continue reading A Marriage Made in a Stairwell →

The “Floor Control Valve Assembly for Wet Pipe Systems” drawing that appears in the current edition of NFPA 13, Chapter 8, has remained unchanged for as long as most of us can remember. However, even though this drawing has remained unchanged, the “Floor Control Assembly and Inspector’s Test Loop” has gone through a number of evolutionary changes. The “Inspector’s Test Loop” was the first part of the “Floor Control Valve Assembly” to evolve. As drawn, it has 15 pieces and 19 connection points and is designed to allow for that branch to be tested to the flow of one sprinkler and to be drained if needed for maintenance or service.

Continue reading A New Way to do the Same Old Thing →

by V.C. “Digger” Weigand of Victory Fire Protection, Inc.

As the demand for Residential Fire Sprinkler systems has grown in our area of the country, it has quickly become one-third of our business at Victory Fire Protection, Inc.

We are now doing on average over 250 residential systems annually; this includes Town Homes, average sized homes in suburban developments, and semi-custom and custom homes – some of these, based on their size and contract value, approach the scope of small commercial work.

Continue reading Standardization of Residential Riser Assemblies →