NFPA 25-compliant ITM programs for building owners, property managers, and facility teams across the Southeast. Deficiency documentation, impairment management, and full as-found/as-left records.
Call Now — (931) 360-5262NFPA 25 (Standard for the Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance of Water-Based Fire Protection Systems) is the governing standard for all ongoing ITM activities on fire sprinkler systems after installation. The standard is adopted by reference by the IFC, NFPA 1, and most state fire codes — including Tennessee — which means its requirements carry the force of law for building owners.
The ITM obligations under NFPA 25 are not optional. Building owners who fail to maintain current ITM records face code violations from the AHJ, insurance complications, and potential liability exposure in the event of a fire loss. Insurance carriers increasingly verify ITM compliance during policy renewals and at claims time — missing records is a red flag.
KJ Fire Protection develops customized ITM programs for each facility, performs inspections at all required frequencies, and provides professionally formatted inspection reports with complete as-found/as-left documentation for every visit.
Sprinkler heads are the most visible component of the system and are subject to degradation from painting, corrosion, mechanical damage, and sediment buildup. NFPA 25 Chapter 5 establishes:
Pipe condition inspection per NFPA 25 Chapter 6 assesses external corrosion, mechanical damage, improper hangers, and clearance from obstructions (storage, new partitions, HVAC modifications). Internal pipe inspection — specifically obstruction investigation — is required every 5 years for dry pipe and pre-action systems, and can be triggered earlier by failure indicators including discolored water at test connections or reduced flow rates.
Control valves (OS&Y, butterfly, PIV) are the most safety-critical components in the system — a closed control valve is the leading cause of fire sprinkler system failure during fires. NFPA 25 Chapter 9 requires:
Any time a fire sprinkler system or portion thereof is taken out of service — for maintenance, repair, testing, or construction — that constitutes an impairment and must be managed per NFPA 25 Chapter 15. Building owners and facility managers who don't follow the impairment management process face significant insurance and liability exposure if a fire occurs during an impairment.
NFPA 25 Section 4.1 requires that deficiencies found during inspection be documented and categorized. KJ Fire Protection provides structured deficiency reports that classify each finding as:
Our inspection reports include photographs of all identified deficiencies, NFPA 25 code references for each finding, and a prioritized correction plan. We can repair deficiencies ourselves or coordinate with your preferred vendor — either way, you get a complete, defensible record.
A commercial wet pipe sprinkler system protecting office occupancy (Light Hazard) requires: monthly control valve checks (if not electronically supervised), quarterly waterflow alarm tests, and an annual full system inspection including main drain test, valve operational test, and visual inspection of all sprinklers, pipe, hangers, and FDC. At 5 years, internal pipe inspection and check valve inspection are required. At 25 years, sprinkler head sample testing is required.
Painted sprinkler heads must be replaced — full stop. Paint on a sprinkler head can prevent or delay activation in a fire, which is a life safety deficiency under NFPA 25 Chapter 5. Painted heads cannot be cleaned; they must be replaced with new listed heads of the same type. This is one of the most common deficiencies found in tenant improvement work where contractors paint over sprinkler heads to match ceilings.
NFPA 25 Section 5.3.1.1.1 requires that sprinkler heads be replaced after 25 years (50 years for fast response heads) OR that a representative sample be sent to an approved laboratory for testing. If the lab test fails, all heads of that type must be replaced. This is a major maintenance event — on a large building, head replacement can be a significant capital expenditure. We can help you plan for this proactively as part of a long-term ITM program.
We follow NFPA 25 Chapter 15 procedures strictly. Before taking any portion of the system out of service, we prepare written impairment notification for the property owner/manager, notify the monitoring company and insurance carrier, and arrange fire watch coverage as required. We work in planned maintenance windows, restore systems to service before the window closes, and maintain complete impairment records. Building owners who don't manage impairments properly are exposed — we make sure they're protected.
Absolutely. We inspect, test, and maintain any water-based fire protection system regardless of original installer. We document the as-found condition, establish a baseline for ongoing comparison (critical for main drain test trending and obstruction investigation), and provide ITM service going forward. If we identify installation deficiencies during the initial inspection, we document them separately and provide options for correction.
The main drain test (NFPA 25 Section 13.2.5.2) involves opening the main system drain valve fully, recording the residual pressure, then closing the drain and recording the static pressure when it stabilizes. The differential between these readings indicates the condition of the control valve and supply piping. Trending main drain test results over time is one of the most sensitive early indicators of supply degradation or partial valve closure — catching a slowly closing control valve before it's fully closed has saved lives.
Yes. For property managers, REITs, and owners with multiple commercial properties, we offer portfolio ITM agreements with consolidated scheduling, standardized reporting formats, and single-contact coordination. Portfolio agreements also allow us to develop long-range capital planning for major maintenance events (head replacement cycles, 5-year internal inspections) across all properties simultaneously.
Every inspection produces a complete written report on NFPA 25-compliant forms documenting: inspection date and scope, inspector credentials, as-found condition of each system component, test results with pass/fail status, all deficiencies with photographs and NFPA 25 code references, deficiency categorization (critical/non-critical), and recommended corrective actions. Reports are provided digitally and retained in our records for the life of our service relationship.
Key references for building owners and facility managers on fire sprinkler ITM obligations:
The complete ITM standard — inspection frequencies, test procedures, impairment management, deficiency categorization, and documentation requirements. Every building owner with a fire sprinkler system must understand their obligations under NFPA 25.
NFPA's ongoing research on sprinkler system performance data. Key finding: the leading cause of failure when sprinklers were present but did not operate was a closed main control valve — the exact failure mode that NFPA 25 valve inspection requirements are designed to prevent.
Tennessee-specific requirements for fire protection system ITM, contractor licensing, and AHJ inspection programs. Tennessee adopts NFPA 25 by reference; state fire marshal inspections verify compliance with these requirements.
The IFC, adopted in Tennessee and most southeastern states, establishes maintenance requirements for fire protection systems in occupied buildings. IFC Section 901.6 requires systems to be maintained in accordance with NFPA 25.
Stay compliant, stay covered. Contact us to establish your ITM program.