When we talk about fire safety, Dry Riser and Fire Extinguisher are the two essential compounds that must be in your building in any event of a fire. Lately, we have talked about fire safety training in which we explained the importance of training for employees.

Training is always the first phase of fire safety which is mandatory and cannot be skipped, but the second phase will always be “Prevention.” How will you save yourself and the people around you after the training?

People often mix prevention with fire risk assessment, and it’s right. Like if you see, prevention is the same as the 5 stages of fire risk assessment plan, do check, act, and review. 

In the prevention phase, you take all possible measures to protect your buildings, house, and lives. Controlling fire in the first place is very important because it will turn into a firestorm if not controlled at the right time.

Talking about controlling fire, the dry risers are very popular and will take control over the fire quickly, ultimately saving lives and reducing property damage.

Today’s topic is “Dry Riser” in this article, we will explain everything you should know about dry risers. So, let’s get into the guide:

What is a Dry Riser Fire System?

A “Dry Riser” is a system usually installed around the buildings to deliver the water inside the building. A dry riser is also known as a firefighting system. As the name implies, dry risers are usually kept dry and, in case of emergency used with the fire engine.

There are other two types of pipe systems that are used in the buildings for controlling the fire that are:

• Wet riser
• Standpipe

Although the job of these pipe systems is the same, they are only used in specific buildings where the pressure of water is sufficient to control the fire. That’s the reason dry risers are very popular, and they do not depend on your building water system. They are usually equipped with a fire-resistant shaft and are made up of outlets known as landing valves. With the help of the inlet, you can connect the fire hose. The rise dry riser will push the water on all the floors; this means you don’t need to drag the hose from the hose. The firefighter will simply connect the hose to the inlet, and the water will be available to all other floors. This is the most convenient and fast way of stopping a fire.

Importance of Dry Riser System

The dry riser system is very beneficial for tall buildings and towers. They give the firefighters an easy water system for each individual floor. So, in case of any emergency, you will have water access in every compartment.

The dry riser system is a much faster system for firefighters. They simply need to connect the hose to the ground floor inlet, and due to the vertical piping system, the dry riser will provide the water supply to the upper floors. This means that you don’t have to carry heavy hoses throughout the whole building. This dry riser system will not only save time but will also save lives.

In any fire emergency, you can immediately take control over the fore with the help of dry risers. According to the IRS (incident recording system) and FRSs (Fire and rescue services), there has been a decrease in fire incidents compared with the previous year due to the dry riser.

Therefore, we recommended installing dry riser systems in schools, hospitals, and tall buildings.

Dry Riser Installation Process

The installation process is pretty simple. To help you understand the process, we have made the following points:

1. Usually, the steel GI pipes type-E are used for dry risers. GI is known as Galvanized iron, mild steel strips that are made up of low carbon steel coils. The metal strips are passed through the fine roles in order to give them shape.
2. Now, our second step will be to paint the pipe, but before painting the pipe, you need to clean the pipe using sandpaper. After that, you need to apply the zinc chromatic primer over the pipe. The primer is used to clean the pipe and for protecting the steel tubes.
3. After cleaning the pipe, use synthetic red paint to paint the pipe. You can also use spray paint as they give your pipe a glossier look.
4. After painting the pipe, you need several fittings like valves and mechanical items that are approved by the UK government. You will find the logos like UL and FL over the fittings.
5. Now that you have all the fittings items, you need a firefighter-approved civil defense drawing before installing the pipes. Other than that, you need a coordination drawing; it’s a drawing that is made up after considering all the other services like fire risk assessment, asbestos testing, and legionella risk assessment so that you can avoid the clashes and can select the final route.
6. Now, in the dry riser system, pipes are vertically installed so that the water can easily reach to upper floors. Usually, the pipes have an internal diameter of 100mm and have a single outlet. For taller buildings, the diameter of the pipe should be 150mm so that the water can fastly reach the upper floors.
7. At the top of the piping, an air valve is installed for evacuating the air inside from the pipes once the water starts running through them.
8. After installing the pipes and an air valve, it’s time to attach the outlets on each floor so that it can pump the water from the fire truck. With each pipe, you need to attach one female hose connection and a large gate valve. Make sure that your connections follow the BS 336 specifications. If you don’t know about BS 336 specification, it’s a British standard requirement for couplings, connectors, and other compounds set for firefighting purposes.
9. While installing the outlet, the one thing that is important to consider is that you should locate one outlet at each fire escape staircase or similar location to avoid mess.
10. According to our research and experience, you need to have one outlet for every 900m2 of the floor. However, if there are multiple outlets on the floor, then the distance between the outlet should be 60m. According to the British standard (BS 9990), you need to place the outlets 750 mm off the floor.

Dry Riser Inlet – You Must Know About

The dry riser inlet is known as the starting point of the dry riser system. Why do we say it, a starting point? Because it’s the main part of the system from where the system will start working.

From the outside of the building, the first thing that you see will be the inlet for the dry riser. A dry riser inlet will provide a connection between the unit and the fire engine hose. The inlet also has a drain that removes the excessive water. The dry riser inlet will be covered in a vertical type cabinet or box known as a dry riser box. Here are some of the important specifications of a dry riser inlet vertical cabinet:

• Aperture: 605(High) x 405(Wide) x 305(Deep) mm
• Cabinet and Door: 16swg Zintec Steel or Stainless, Satin Polished
• Hinge: Stainless Steel
• Hinge Type: Piano
• Height: 595mm
• Width: 395mm
• Depth: 295mm
• Colour: Red RAL3002 or Stainless
• Glass: Yes
• Standard: BS5041: Part 4
• Lettering: PRV
• Architrave: 30mm Wide All Round
• Lock: Slam Lock with Key

What Are the Dry Riser Requirements in Uk?

There are several requirements that you should be aware of before installing a dry riser system in your building. Let’s take a look:

• Your dry riser system should be in a fire-resistant shaft or cabinet and should be locked, especially in a residential building.
• Any building that is over 18m tall but less than 60m should have a dry riser system under UK regulations.
• According to UK requirements, you should only use galvanized wrought steel pipes and fittings.
• You need to follow the specific building regulations during the installation and need to make sure that the installation does not affect other safety standards of the building.
• Before the installation, you need to consult your local fire station so that you maintain the safety standards and the dry riser components in the right place.
• Before dry riser installation, you need to make sure that there is a proper water supply nearby so that the firefighters have enough water to top the fire. Although the firefighter brings the fire engine with them for water supply, but this is still an important point. Sometimes you may need to take the first step in order to control the fire in case the rescue team is late.
• A competent or responsible person needs to inspect the dry riser system after every six months. You can also take help from the dry riser inspection team.

Dry Riser Maintenance – What Are the Procedures?

The maintenance process is quite tricky. Not everyone understands it. Therefore, we come up with a step-by-step guide that will help you with dry riser maintenance.

Step 1:

The first step is very simple; you need to check your inlet breaching valve. An inlet breeching is the starting point of the dry riser system that the rescue services team uses to connect their own water supply. Make sure that your dry riser is in good working condition. You cannot risk your building and people at risk.

Step 2:

Check the drain valve and non-return valves of the inlet, breaching the value that they are working correctly. Make sure that all nuts and bolts are tight.

Step 3:

Check all the brackets and couplings of the pipes.

Step 4:

Start checking from the top valve to the landing valve. See all the clamps and pipework and ensure that they are free from any type of damage.

Step 5:

Operational check the valve by opening and closing it.

Step 6:

Check all the outlets by carrying out a “Pull test.” Attach the hose to each outlet and confirm that each outlet locks the hose in place.

Step 7:

Check the rubber washer inside each outlet valve to ensure that there are no leaks and that each outlet seals the fire hose properly.

Step 8:

Spray all the moving parts with lubricant.

Step 9:

Check the dry riser box or cabinet glass and frame free from any type of vandalism.

Step 10:

Connect the hose to the inlet and monitor the pressure in the system.

Step 11:

Increase the water pressure and once the system is filled with water, check the system for any leaks.

Step 12:

After 15 minutes, release the pressure and see if the system is fully drained.

Dry Fire Riser Dimensions

The common dry riser pipe size is 4 inches or 6 inches. Most of the dry riser systems are installed with a 4-inch pipe. 6-inch pipes are normally used when you have multiple feeding systems.

Dry Riser Inspection – When Should You Need It?

After every 6-month you should inspect your dry riser system. Other than that, after 1 year, a detailed inspection and servicing need to be done by a professional.

Dry Riser Design

Talking about dry riser design, the purpose of a dry riser is to distribute water to multiple levels or compartments of a building. Now, it depends on you which type of pipe, fittings, and where you locate your inlet valve.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Fire Safety Risk Assessment hope that you understand the importance and benefits of dry risers and will install them in your buildings. There is nothing more expensive in this world than human life. Therefore, install a dry riser and ensure the safety of your property, business, and your employees.