Hydrant Flow Test

A hydrant flow test is a test conducted on hydrants to monitor their flow test and flow pressure by gallons per minute (GPM) in order to ensure that the hydrants are still in a good position. Hydrants play an integral role in water supply networks in public and private properties. They are used for various purposes including extinguishing fires in emergency situations.

We can do hydrant testing for your property to ensure that it is ever ready for any emergency situation. The tanks that the firefighters bring to the fire emergency seldom carry more than 2000 GPM of water. For this reason, their firefighting mission with that tank could last a few minutes without the supply of hydrant water.

Raging fires often last long and need a sufficient supply of water. If firefighters’ water has been depleted, they rely on nearby hydrants to provide them enough gallons per minute to continue extinguishing fires. Imagine if the flow rate and the pressure are compromised. This will jeopardize may compromise and jeopardize firefighting missions and may result in enormous damage to the property or even lead to loss of human life.

At Nearby EngineersNew York Engineers, our engineers are able to perform hydrant flow tests to ascertain that level of pressure and flow rate are still intact. There could be a buildup of grime in the hydrant pipes that could compromise the flow rate and the pressure; this, therefore, necessitates the need for testing of the hydrant flow rate periodically.

NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) and AWWA (American Water Works Association) highlight certain required standards that enforce testing of these hydrants on particular dates. Our engineers are aware of such standards and thus adhere to the recommended time frames to inspect and test hydrant flows.

As we elaborated above, hydrant flow test is important to ensure that firefighting missions are not jeopardized due to a failed hydrant. Oftentimes, hydrants are left unattended and used when there is a need to extinguish fires. A lot can happen that can tamper with their performance. For example, the valves can rust and there could be grime building up on the walls. The pressure may be compromised as result and thus not be sufficient when it’s time to use the water. Then what results if firefighters cannot extinguish fire due to malfunctioning hydrants? A disastrous ordeal that leads to property damage!

Hydrants must be tested on a regular basis as per the standards enacted by the NFPA and AWWA. NFPA is renowned for its consistent standards in ensuring that fire protection systems are always perfectly operational. We have mastered the art of these standards and can now fix any fire equipment in line with the standards.

Ideally, a minimum pressure of 20 psi should be read for effective firefighting missions. When testing hydrant flow rates and pressure, we take into account static and residual pressure differences – a field we excel in as we are professional engineers. There are technological advances in hydrant tests whereby we shift towards software. There is existing software which we can also leverage to draw hydrant flow data that can guide us in designing automatic sprinkler systems.

Fire hydrants are important and thus need to be serviced continually. The bottom line is to ensure that they are always ready to provide the much-needed water during an emergency for all types of properties. Although we use different methods in hydrant flow tests, the end result is the same.

Should you need automatic sprinkler systems installed in your property, we will have to ascertain if there is enough water supply in the vicinity of your property. Nearby hydrants are the first considerations. Knowing the amount of pressure and flow rate helps us maneuver and configure our sprinkler systems in line with those metrics. Most important is to know the gallons per minute. With our advanced mathematical equations, we can convert PSI readings into GPM. Bernoulli equation that relates velocity and pressure makes that possible. This may, however, seem too technical if you have never been exposed to such calculations. Our engineers can demystify every detail for you.

It may not be mandatory but a recommendation for hydrants to be tested regularly. The NFPA 25 and NFPA 291 standards give guidance on the i). Inspection, testing, and maintenance of water-based fire protection systems and ii). Recommended practice for fire flow testing and marking of hydrants, respectively. According to NFPA 25, fire hydrants should be inspected and tested annually while flow tests are conducted every 5 years.

These standards outline a procedure of testing these systems. As Nearby EngineersNew York Engineers, we place great emphasis on the hydrant flow test because we know how significant it is in fire emergencies. We are well equipped with the standard procedure of testing hydrants.

It is the responsibility of property owners or representatives to ensure that hydrants are tested. It is not only for the recommendations but the importance of having an efficient water supply system to suppress raging fires.

Knowing how likely hydrants can have reduced flow rate and pressure over time, we reckon everyone considers a hydrant flow test. It isn’t much of a burden to have your hydrants tested.

Hydrants may seem too simple but are in actual sense complex equipment. Consider the variance of wet and dry barrel hydrant we have. These variances are basically the same with dry and wet pipe sprinkler systems. For environments where temperatures may drop below the freezing point, dry barrel hydrants are ideal because water is kept underground.

With wet barrel hydrant, water is always readily available above the ground. These are some of the considerations we look at when conducting hydrant flow test. It shows how complex the equipment could be.

Of most importance are the pressure levels and the flow rate in gallons per minute. We use parts such as pitot gauge to test the pressure of hydrants. This will give us a clear picture of the efficiency of the hydrant. We will elaborate more on how this gauge works.

Other considerations are the valves and the overall appearance of the hydrant. The hydrant is left exposed to environmental elements and so it can be subject to deterioration the longer it is left unattended. Our tests take all that into account and then give you a fully functional hydrant.

Among others, you need the flow test kit, hydrant wrenches, flow test documentation, and hydrant number. The flow test kit should be inclusive of all the components such as the pitot gauge that is used to assess the pressure levels of the hydrant.

Pitot gauge is one of the most important parts needed to conduct hydrant flow test. It makes it easy to calculate the flow rate to the highest level of GPM (gallons per minute) accuracy. We use this equipment for this reason as we endeavor to provide great results with higher accuracy.

When using pitot gauge, we get psi (pounds per square inch) readings that we can convert to gallons per minute. Such level of knowledge requires professional engineers and we have that covered for you. Pitot is the fastest and the most reliable handheld gauge in testing flow rates. It helps us notice reduced flow rates due to underlying problems such as heavy wall deposits in the pipe.

A pit gauge basically has the blade, handle and the pressure gauge. It is a simple yet most sophisticated tool for hydrant flow testing missions.

When using pitot gauge, we place it within the open hydrant’s water discharge where the narrow tube inside the pitot measures the pressure when water gets in. The gauge captures PSI readings which we will convert into gallons per minute for accurate flow rate readings. PSI readings can help us relate static and residual pressures of the hydrant.

Bernoulli’s principle helps us relate PSI readings to GPM readings. However, the formula can be more complex with the consideration of frictions in the pipe wall because the wall is not always smooth. We then resort to other means to determine the friction co-efficient. The process seems much easier for us as we are experienced in such advanced calculations. It could be too complicated for you.

Any property owner, whether private or public, has the responsibility to ensure that the hydrant flow rate is tested periodically as guided by the NFPA standards. They should be tested at least every 5 years to ensure that everything is still in good working order.

The standards also guide owners to color code these hydrants according to their water outputs. This helps firefighters when they get to choose which hydrant to use in the case of a fire emergency. The colors help them assess the sufficiency of water upon arriving at the scene.

Let us be your go-to hydrant flow testers for any kind of hydrant in Chicago. Our years of experience equipped us with unmatched skills to master these tests. If the hydrant needs repairs, we can also achieve that. We can also design or maintain hydrants. Even more, we can design automatic sprinkler systems in addition to the hydrants.

Hydrants differ in terms of water flow per minute. We take into account gallons per minute to classify them accordingly into classes. There is Class AA (capacity of 1500 GPM), Class A (capacity of 1000-1499 GPM), Class B (capacity of 500-999), and Class C (capacity of 500 GPM). The standard NFPA 291-2019 gives guidelines on how to color code these hydrants so that users get to know at first glance which hydrant provides the required flow rate of water. Class AA is coded light blue, Class A green, Class B orange, and Class C color-coded red.

Apart from these color codes that are indicative of flow rates in gallons per minute, there is not much of the difference between these hydrants. Nearby EngineersNew York Engineers can help you determine the flow rate and then color code the hydrants after our flow tests. Firefighting missions will be much easier following our tests.

We have what it takes to perform hydrant flow tests with our professional engineers. These tests are too advanced for amateurs and so we remain the best providers of these tests in Chicago. We have already done flow tests for many clients and thus we know what it takes to excel in them.

We are expert specialists in fire protection services and sprinkle engineering services. We offer all types of sprinkler systems. This proves enough how unmatched we are in fire hydrant services. Our MEP engineers find every task simple and we achieve our best at affordable rates and a faster turnaround than our competitors.

Hydrant flow test needs a professional who is well-rounded with the NFPA guidelines on how to perform it. It also needs someone who has the technical know-how to use the flow test kits. The main thing is to get flow test data, and we excel in that. We use advanced modern technologies to conduct your hydrant flow test.