NFPA Journal - Summer 2022 - 71

The newly proposed frequencies are
based on UL testing that was completed
in 2019, which showed that an extended
testing frequency was appropriate. This
update changes the standard to align
with the latest available data.
Updated antifreeze
system requirements
The requirements for antifreeze systems
have also been under scrutiny
for the past several cycles of NFPA 25
because of the flammability concerns
of antifreeze at high concentrations.
Starting with the 2014 edition of
NFPA 25, for all systems installed prior
to September 30, 2012, there was a
sunset date of September 30, 2022,
which required all systems to change to
a listed antifreeze solution. This sunset
date allowed time for manufacturers to
create listed antifreeze solutions that
meet NFPA 25 requirements. This date
is being removed because the effective
date of the 2023 edition of NFPA 25
will be after the sunset date, and there
are currently listed antifreeze solutions
that meet the required conditions. All
systems, with few exceptions, will now
be required to use a listed antifreeze
solution to refill existing systems
whose solutions do not meet the
required criteria.
It is important for stakeholders to
review the antifreeze manufacturer's
data sheets, since the characteristics
of listed antifreeze solutions, such
as viscosity and specific gravity, do
not necessarily match those of legacy
solutions. Additional hydraulic analysis
of the existing piping system may
be required when switching to listed
antifreeze solutions. There are situations
where existing factory premixed
solutions of 30 percent propylene
glycol by volume or 38 percent glycerin
by volume are allowed to remain;
these figures are based on a 2020 UL
report that detailed the ability of low
concentrations of propylene glycol and
glycerin to resist ignition and substantial
contribution to a fire.
Addition of nitrogen
generation ITM
requirements to align
with NFPA 13
NFPA 25 requirements occasionally
need to be updated to address changes
made to the various installation standards
whose ITM requirements are
governed by NFPA 25. In this case, the
2022 edition of NFPA 13, Standard for
the Installation of Sprinkler Systems,
recognized that a nitrogen supply of
at least 98 percent concentration has
been shown to
effectively reduce
corrosion inside
of a system, and
as a result NFPA
13 now allows
for the use of an
nfpa.org/itm
maintenance
Read more about
the development
of the 2023 edition
of NFPA 25.
increased C factor in dry and preaction
sprinkler systems during the design
phase. A C factor is used to indicate the
smoothness of the interior surface of a
pipe; the greater the C factor, the lower
the friction loss will be as the water
flows through the pipe, which allows
for a greater carrying capacity.
Due to this change to NFPA 13, the
committee determined that it was necessary
to include ITM requirements
to ensure those nitrogen supplies are
adequate to maintain system design
integrity. A system that was designed
with a higher C factor due to the corrosion-reducing
properties of nitrogen
needs to maintain that nitrogen supply
throughout the life of the system, or it
risks developing corrosion that is not
accounted for in the system design,
which can reduce the effectiveness of
the system.
CONFERENCE
SESSIONS
Inspection, Testing,
and Maintenance:
What the Data Tell Us
Monday, June 6, 9:15-10:15 a.m.
Brad Cronin, Strategic Code
Solutions; William Koffel, Koffel
Associates; Cory Anderson,
Rodger Reiswig, Terry Victor,
Johnson Controls
NFPA 25: An Interactive
Evaluation of Inspection and
Test Results
Wednesday, June 8, 8-9 a.m.
Terry Victor, Johnson Controls
Update to qualified
personnel response time
for remotely monitored
automatic pump tests
A final proposed change important to
note involves the time in which qualified
personnel must respond to an
abnormal pump condition during a
remotely monitored automatic test.
In past editions of NFPA 20, Standard
for the Installation of Stationary
Pumps for Fire Protection, five minutes
was given as the time for personnel to
respond in the event of pump activation.
This time frame was carried over into
NFPA 25 when remotely monitored automatic
testing was added to the standard.
For the 2023 edition of NFPA 25,
the committee recognized that the
five-minute time frame was impractical
given that the person observing the
test was generally not on-site during
a remote test. At the first draft stage,
eight hours was proposed as the new
time frame, but this was revised to four
hours at the second draft stage; the
technical committee felt that the fourhour
response window ensures that fire
protection systems are not impaired for
an unnecessarily long period because a
fire pump is generally necessary, where
installed, for building fire protection
systems to function properly. When the
pump is out of service, a building is at a
higher risk in case of a fire emergency.
The technical committee felt the new
response time frame should be adequate
to address this issue.
These are just a few of the proposed
changes for the next edition of NFPA 25.
Like the maintenance of my new house,
it's clear that the maintenance and
upkeep of fire protection systems is vital
to ensuring that they function properly
over their lifetimes and during emergencies.
It is also important to update ITM
requirements to make sure that the most
up-to-date procedures and data are being
implemented in the field. These key
changes proposed for the 2023 edition of
NFPA 25 go a long way toward ensuring
that existing water-based fire protection
systems are able to do their job over
their service lifetime.
TOM HARRIS is a fire protection engineer in the
electrical and fire protection systems division at NFPA.
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NFPA Journal - Summer 2022

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