Dry riser testing and servicing
Your last certificate is about to run out, or the fire officer has asked to see it.
BS 9990
A dry riser is an empty pipe running up the building that the fire brigade charges from a hydrant when they arrive. It does nothing at all until that moment, which is exactly why it gets forgotten, vandalised and left leaking. The test proves it will hold pressure on the day somebody needs it.
What the visit covers
- Six-monthly visual inspection of inlets, landing valves, cabinets, caps and signage
- Annual wet test: the riser charged to 12 bar and held for 15 minutes
- Leak, blockage and vandalism findings reported with photographs
- Repairs, replacement valves and new installations
Questions we get asked
How often does a dry riser have to be tested?
A visual inspection every six months and a full pressure test once a year, under BS 9990. The annual test charges the riser to 12 bar and holds it for 15 minutes.
What happens if it fails the test?
We report what failed with photographs, isolate anything unsafe and quote the repair. Common causes are perished washers, seized or missing landing valve caps, damaged inlet boxes and vandalism at ground level.
Who is responsible for having it done?
The responsible person for the premises under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. In a managed block that is usually the freeholder or the managing agent, not the individual leaseholders.
Do I get a certificate?
Yes, on the visit. It is the document your fire risk assessment and your insurer will ask to see.
We also cover
Approved, and audited on a schedule.
Two certifications, and the first one is the reason we could apply for the second. ISO 9001 is a precondition for LPCB approval, so this is a sequence rather than a collection.
ISO 9001:2015
Certified by BRE Global, accredited by UKAS
An audited quality management system. It means the way a job is planned, recorded and signed off is itself inspected by somebody independent, on a schedule.
LPCB approved
Loss Prevention Certification Board
The approval UK insurers look for on sprinkler work. A system installed by an LPCB approved contractor counts as genuine risk mitigation on your policy; one installed by anybody else may not.
Working to BS EN 12845, BS 9251 and BS 9990. If your insurer or fire risk assessor wants the certificates themselves, ring us and we will send them over.
Tell us the building.
We will tell you what it is due.
No survey fee to find out where you stand. Describe the site and we will tell you which intervals apply and what the visit involves.