Not much except for a fun fact and the end of this blog!
I was thinking about fire hydrants the other day, (because that’s the kind of thing Property Managers think about at 3am) and it snowballed into a bunch of other questions.
Condominium corporations own and are responsible for hydrants located throughout their community. PMs need to be on top of preventive maintenance, testing and repairs.
What is the cost of repair & maintenance of the hydrants? Did you know that fire hydrants need to be inspected annually? A visual inspection will detect any signs of damage, corrosion, leaks and water flow. The flow test measures water pressure and flow rate to ensure the necessary standard is met. Fire and Safety companies will quote on the hydrant maintenance when the hydrant needs to be serviced and greased to ensure water flow.
This involves flushing them, painting them if necessary & greasing the caps so they don’t stick. Cost of servicing a fire hydrant can range between $500-$1000 but with labour & equipment to replace/install a deficient hydrant it can run to $5000-$6000. Depending on whether there is damage (limited to the component above ground, or whether the water main beneath is compromised).
The NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) has standards for hydrant flows & requires that hydrants indicate by way of coloured markers, what the rate flow per hydrant is. The minimum pressure should be 20 pounds per square inch. The “fire flow” is defined as the ability to deliver a flow of at least 250 gallons per minute continuously for a minimum of two hours, while maintaining a minimum pressure of 20 pounds per square inch (psi) throughout the distribution system.
If it was never done, or never updated & there’s a major fire and not enough water flows, everyone’s insurance rates could be impacted. Not only are we looking at operating costs, but we are also looking at life safety.
What about replacement? Is this something in your Reserve Fund? Fire hydrants can last almost indefinitely with proper maintenance & inspections. It is not uncommon to see hydrants over 75 years.
Fun Fact- an elephant can hold as much as 2.5 gallons of water and can spray up to 10 litres at a time. They can suction feed (inhale) water at 330mph!
Blog Created by Tami Bergen
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