The installing contractor shall do the following: 
- Notify the authority having jurisdiction and the property owner or the property owner's authorized representative of the time and date testing will be performed
- Perform all required acceptance tests (see Section 25.2)
- Complete and sign the appropriate contractor's material and test certificate(s) (see Figure 25.1)
- Remove all caps and straps prior to placing the sprinkler system in service
a Measured from time inspector's test connection is opened.
b NFPA 13 only requires the 60-second limitation in specific sections.
FIGURE 25.1 Contractor's Material and Test Certificate for Aboveground Piping.
Unless permitted by 25.2.1.2 through 25.2.1.8, all piping and attached appurtenances subjected to system working pressure shall be hydrostatically tested at 200 psi (13.8 bar) and shall maintain that pressure without loss for 2 hours.
Portions of systems normally subjected to system working pressures in excess of 150 psi (10.4 bar) shall be tested as described in 25.2.1.1, at a pressure of 50 psi (3.5 bar) in excess of system working pressure.
Where cold weather will not permit testing with water, an interim air test shall be permitted to be conducted as described in 25.2.2. This provision shall not remove or replace the requirement for conducting the hydrostatic test as described in 25.2.1.1.
Modifications affecting 20 or fewer sprinklers shall not require testing in excess of system working pressure.
Where addition or modification is made to an existing system affecting more than 20 sprinklers, the new portion shall be isolated and tested at not less than 200 psi (13.8 bar) for 2 hours.
Modifications that cannot be isolated, such as relocated drops, shall not require testing in excess of system working pressure.
The test pressure shall be read from a gauge located at the low elevation point of the system or portion being tested. The pressures in piping at higher elevations shall be permitted to be less than 200 psi (13.8 bar) when accounting for elevation losses. Systems or portions of systems that can be isolated shall be permitted to be tested separately.
Additives, corrosive chemicals such as sodium silicate, or derivatives of sodium silicate, brine, or similar acting chemicals shall not be used while hydrostatically testing systems or for stopping leaks.
Piping between the exterior fire department connection and the check valve in the fire department inlet pipe shall be hydrostatically tested in the same manner as the balance of the system. After repair or replacement work affecting the fire department connection, the piping between the exterior and the check valve in the fire department inlet pipe shall be isolated and hydrostatically tested at 150 psi (10.3 bar).
When systems are being hydrostatically tested, tests shall be permitted to be conducted with pendent or horizontal sidewall sprinklers or plugs installed in fittings. Any plugs shall be replaced with pendent or horizontal sidewall sprinklers after the test is completed.
When deluge systems are being hydrostatically tested, plugs shall be installed in fittings and replaced with open sprinklers after the test is completed, or the operating elements of automatic sprinklers shall be removed after the test is completed.
Provision shall be made for the proper disposal of water used for flushing or testing.
Test blanks shall have painted lugs protruding in such a way as to clearly indicate their presence.
The test blanks shall be numbered, and the installing contractor shall have a record keeping method ensuring their removal after work is completed.
When subject to hydrostatic test pressures, the clapper of a differential-type valve shall be held off its seat to prevent damaging the valve.
In addition to the standard hydrostatic test, an air pressure leakage test at 40 psi (2.8 bar) shall be conducted for 24 hours. Any leakage that results in a loss of pressure in excess of 11/2 psi (0.1 bar) for the 24 hours shall be corrected.
Waterflow detecting devices including the associated alarm circuits shall be flow tested through the inspector's test connection and shall result in an audible alarm on the premises within 5 minutes after such flow begins and until such flow stops.
Dry systems calculated for water delivery in accordance with 7.2.3.6 shall be exempt from any specific delivery time requirement.
The results shall be recorded using the contractor's material and test certificate for aboveground piping (see Figure 25.1).
The automatic operation of a deluge or preaction valve shall be tested in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions.
The manual and remote control operation, where present, shall also be tested.
The static and residual pressures shall be recorded on the contractor's material and test certificate (see Figure 25.1).
All control valves shall be fully closed and opened under system water pressure to ensure proper operation.
The backflow prevention assembly shall be forward flow tested to ensure proper operation.
The minimum flow rate shall be the system demand, including hose stream allowance where applicable.
For sprinkler systems with non-fire protection connections, additional information shall be appended to the contractor's material and test certificate for aboveground piping shown in Figure 25.1 as follows:
- Certification that all auxiliary devices, such as heat pumps, circulating pumps, heat exchangers, radiators, and luminaires, if a part of the system, have a pressure rating of at least 175 psi or 300 psi (12.1 bar or 20.7 bar) if exposed to pressures greater than 175 psi (12.1 bar).
- All components of sprinkler system and auxiliary system have been pressure tested as a composite system in accordance with 25.2.2.
- Waterflow tests have been conducted and waterflow alarms have operated while auxiliary equipment is in each of the possible modes of operation.
- With auxiliary equipment tested in each possible mode of operation and with no flow from sprinklers or test connection, waterflow alarm signals did not operate.
- Excess temperature controls for shutting down the auxiliary system have been properly field tested.
Discharge tests of sprinkler systems with non-fire protection connections shall be conducted using system test connections described in 6.9.1.
Pressure gauges shall be installed at critical points and readings shall be taken under various modes of auxiliary equipment operation.
The installing contractor shall provide the property owner or the property owner's authorized representative with the following:
- All literature and instructions provided by the manufacturer describing proper operation and maintenance of any equipment and devices installed
- NFPA 25
The installing contractor shall identify a hydraulically designed sprinkler system with a permanently marked weatherproof metal or rigid plastic sign secured with corrosion-resistant wire, chain, or other approved means. Such signs shall be placed at the alarm valve, dry pipe valve, preaction valve, or deluge valve supplying the corresponding hydraulically designed area.
The sign shall include the following information:
- Location of the design area or areas
- Discharge densities over the design area or areas
- Required flow and residual pressure demand at the base of the riser
- Occupancy classification or commodity classification and maximum permitted storage height and configuration
- Hose stream allowance included in addition to the sprinkler demand
- The name of the installing contractor
The installing contractor shall provide a general information sign used to determine system design basis and information relevant to the inspection, testing, and maintenance requirements required by NFPA 25.
Such general information shall be provided with a permanently marked weatherproof metal or rigid plastic sign, secured with corrosion-resistant wire, chain, or other acceptable means.
Such signs shall be placed at each system control riser, antifreeze loop, and auxiliary system control valve.
The sign shall include the following information:
- Name and location of the facility protected
- Occupancy classification
- Commodity classification
- Presence of high-piled and/or rack storage
- Maximum height of storage planned
- Aisle width planned
- Encapsulation of pallet loads
- Presence of solid shelving
- Flow test data
- Presence of flammable/combustible liquids
- Presence of hazardous materials
- Presence of other special storage
- Location of auxiliary drains and low point drains on dry pipe and preaction system
- Original results of main drain flow test
- Name of installing contractor or designer
- Indication of presence and location of antifreeze or other auxiliary systems
- Where injection systems are installed to treat MIC or corrosion, the type of chemical, concentration of the chemical, and where information can be found as to the proper disposal of the chemical