Dry and Wet Risers are installed to ensure the availability of large quantities of water to the Emergency Services when attending to a fire in a building over 18 metres in height (buildings over 60 metres require wet risers).
Dry risers are comprised of vertical mains which are fitted into staircase enclosures or other suitable locations, with outlets installed at ground level to enable the fire services to connect into the water supply. Dry riser mains present a readily available means of delivering substantial quantities of water in order to extinguish or prevent the spread of fire. They are intended for use by the fire services or other trained personnel.
We provide an industry qualified design team who will put together a full design specification and give accurate installation costs. The information for the specification can either be gathered from scale drawings, or a free of charge full-site survey can be carried out by our engineers.
Using our own highly trained mechanical engineers, we provide the best possible service ensuring efficient installation, quality workmanship and competitive prices. All our site personnel are accredited to the Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) which includes training and instruction in basic and advanced site skills as well as encompassing Health and Safety awareness, as detailed within the CSCS Scheme Booklet. Engineers also hold licenses for IPAF (International Powered Access Federation) and PASMA (Prefabricated Access Suppliers’ and Manufacturers’ Association).
Following each installation, a full ‘wet test’ of the system is undertaken in accordance with BS 9990 guidelines and certification is awarded on successful completion of that test. All installation work comes with a full 12 month warranty guarantee so you can have complete confidence in your system.
The local fire services must be consulted to ascertain exact requirements before the installation of dry riser systems.
Ensuring that the riser system for your building is in good working order is a legal requirement and there are severe penalties should your riser not work when it is needed.
Dry risers must be serviced every six months to ensure they comply with regulations. Servicing dry risers applies to all buildings above 18 metres and below 60 metres (buildings over 60 metres require wet risers). Every six months, dry risers should have a wet test and a visual inspection by a qualified engineer.
During the wet test, engineers fill each riser stack with water – this is the pipe that rises through the building with a landing valve on each floor/level. Some testing companies use street fire hydrants to carry out these tests. However, water from a fire hydrant should only be used by the fire services and is not available for testing companies. Our engineers carry all the necessary specialist equipment, including a water bowser, in order to service your dry riser system.
Before the test starts, the engineer checks that the landing valves are in good condition, that they have not been tampered with and that the valves are closed shut to prevent any water escaping. The air release valve at the top of the stack is also checked to make sure that it is operating correctly.
Before a certificate can be issued, the dry riser is pressurised to 10 bar and needs to hold water within the pipework stack for 15 minutes at this pressure. After the test, the water is discharged back into the water bowser and used again for other tests. If your premises have more than one dry riser, each stack should have the same test and receive an appropriate certificate in order to comply with the regulations.
All remedial works and maintenance to dry risers should be carried out by a competent, trained and accredited engineer. Should any remedial works be necessary, the engineer will advise what is needed to bring your system to the required standard. We also provide a 24/7 callout service should you have any urgent issues.
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