If your building relies on a fire pump to meet its sprinkler or standpipe system’s water demand, NFPA 20 sets out how often it needs to be tested, not just installed correctly.
Weekly: No-Flow (Churn) Test
Electric-driven fire pumps are typically run weekly for about 10 minutes with no water flow, confirming the pump starts correctly and operates without unusual noise or vibration. Diesel-driven pumps are also run weekly.
Annually: Full Flow Test
Once a year, the pump is tested under flow conditions at multiple points, including churn (no flow), rated capacity, and peak load, to confirm it still delivers the pressure and flow it was designed for. Performance is compared against the original acceptance test to catch gradual degradation.
Why This Matters
A fire pump that only gets tested when something goes wrong is a pump nobody can trust in an actual fire. Consistent testing is what confirms the pump will actually deliver water at the pressure the system was designed around.
See our full Fire Pump Systems guide for design and installation details.