NFPA 25 sets out inspection, testing, and maintenance requirements for water-based fire protection systems, but the frequencies aren’t all the same. Some checks happen weekly, others quarterly, and some only once every five years. Here’s a quick reference to keep straight.
Free download: Use our ITM Compliance Checklist (PDF) to track these intervals across all your building’s fire protection systems.
Weekly Checks
Gauges on dry pipe, pre-action, and deluge systems should be checked weekly (or monthly if equipped with a supervisory signal) to confirm proper air and water pressure. Buildings with electric fire pumps typically run a weekly no-flow (churn) test of the pump as well.
Monthly Checks
Wet pipe system gauges are checked monthly. Control valves are also inspected monthly to confirm they are in the correct open or closed position, locked or sealed, and accessible.
Quarterly Checks
Waterflow alarm devices and supervisory signal devices are tested quarterly, along with a check of the fire department connection to confirm it is visible, accessible, and undamaged.
Annual Checks
A full system inspection, including all sprinkler heads, is required annually at minimum. Internal piping condition is assessed on a longer cycle, typically every five years, via an internal obstruction investigation.
Missing any one of these intervals can put a building out of compliance even if the system looks fine on the surface. See our full Fire Sprinkler Inspection and Fire Sprinkler Testing guides for more detail, or our FAQ for common questions.