Vegetation Management – Hydrants
Ensure fire safety in your strata building by maintaining vegetation clearances & visibility around hydrant boosters and valves. Learn about essential standards, real-life examples, and tips for keeping hydrants accessible and vegetation managed. Prioritize safety with expert advice from Civil Fire.
5-Yearly Servicing of Hydrant & Sprinkler Systems
With the legislation of AS1851 in NSW coming into force in 2025, the 5-yearly service of the fire hydrant system and sprinkler system
AS1851 in NSW
The Australian Standard for the Routine service of fire protection equipment, AS1851-2012, is being legislated in NSW as of 13th February 2025. What does this mean for building owners? Find out more.
Fire Dampers
Fire dampers are an essential safety measure that helps to prevent the spread of fire and smoke in buildings. Dampers belong to the ‘passive fire protection’ family.
Ionisation Vs Photoelectric Smoke Alarms
There are two main types of smoke alarms available on the market: ionisation smoke alarms and photoelectric smoke alarms. While both types of smoke alarms can detect smoke and save lives, they operate differently, and there are advantages to using one type over the other in specific settings.
10yo smoke alarms in NSW
Civil Fire have recently updated our policy to defect smoke alarms when they are over 10 years old. Previously, this was a recommendation item only.
The reason for this change is the legislation of the Australian Standard for the Maintenance of Fire Protection – AS1851. This standard was legislated in NSW on 16/12/22, and all buildings must be maintained in accordance with this standard by 13th February 2025.
Hydrostatic Testing of Hydrants
Hydrants provide a high-volume flow of water to specific points throughout a building where firefighters can connect their hoses in the event of a fire. They are a critical component of fire protection in buildings.
A hydrant system can degrade over time due to a variety of factors, including:
Corrosion: Over time, the pipes and fittings in a hydrant system can corrode due to exposure to water, oxygen, and other chemicals. This can cause the pipes to weaken or develop leaks, which can reduce the effectiveness of the system.
Wear and tear: The components of a hydrant system, such as valves, gaskets, and hoses, can wear out over time due to normal use and exposure to the elements. This can cause leaks or malfunctions that can compromise the performance of the system.
Obstruction: The hydrant system can become clogged or obstructed over time due to debris, sediment, or other materials that accumulate in the pipes or valves. This can restrict the flow of water through the system and reduce its effectiveness.
Inadequate maintenance: Regular maintenance and inspection of the hydrant system is essential to ensure that it is functioning properly. Failure to perform regular maintenance, such as flushing the system and testing valves, can lead to issues that can compromise the performance of the system.
Environmental factors: The environment in which the hydrant system is installed can also impact its performance. For example, exposure to extreme temperatures or harsh chemicals can cause the pipes or fittings to deteriorate more quickly.
For these reasons, Australian Standard AS1851-2012 requires hydrant systems to be hydrostatically tested every 5 years.
So what is hydrostatic testing?
Hydrostatic testing of hydrants is a procedure used to check the integrity and pressure capacity of a fire hydrant system. Hydrostatic testing of hydrants is an important part of the routine maintenance of fire hydrant systems, as it helps to ensure that they are in good working condition and can deliver water at the necessary pressure in the event of a fire.
The process for hydrostatic testing is as follows:
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Preparation: Before starting the test, the hydrant system should be inspected to see that there are no obvious defects. Valves and pipes should not be leaking or heavily corroded.
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Connection: A specialised pump and hoses are connected to the hydrant system to pressurise it with water.
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Filling: The system is then filled with water until the desired pressure is reached. The pressure should be gradually increased to the desired level, to prevent damage to the system.
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Holding: Once the desired pressure is reached, the system is held to ensure that there are no leaks or weaknesses in the system.
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Inspection: During the test, the hydrant system should be visually inspected for leaks or other issues. Any leaks should be identified and repaired before retesting the system.
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Documentation: After the test is complete, the results should be documented in a report, including the date of the test, the pressure achieved, and any issues or repairs identified.
Indemnity
Asking for indemnity before hydrostatic testing of hydrants is a common practice in the industry to protect the testing contractor or technician from any liability that may arise from damages that occur during the normal testing process.
Hydrostatic testing of hydrants involves pressurizing the hydrant system to a level that exceeds the normal operating pressure, which can put stress on the system and potentially lead to leaks or other issues. In rare cases, the testing process can cause damage to the system or surrounding property.
I don’t think we’ve had contractors come through before who were so clean and tidy, helpful and responsive with ideas about how to better maintain the heritage and be compliant and generally respectful of the property.
He was so thoughtful, he stopped the really noisy part of the repair so I could answer calls. I went out at lunch, and he was on his hands and knees washing the floor in the entry because he’d brought in some debris from the street.
