Dry Riser Testing

A dry riser is a way to ensure firefighters can always access water on each floor of a commercial property. Like all firefighting equipment, it needs to be kept in good condition to ensure safety should the worst happen and a fire break out. Dry riser testing is a legal requirement in buildings with dry riser systems, and it is the responsible way to make sure that your business is prepared for a fire if one should occur.

What is a Dry Riser?

A dry riser is a system of pipes and valves that pumps water from the ground floor of a building up to the higher levels, where it is distributed to outlets and can be used by firefighters in the event of a fire.

This is a crucial and helpful system, as it means that firefighters do not have to carry all of their equipment up multiple flights of stairs in a panic – the water will be available through a dry riser outlet nearer to the location of the fire, making it easier to start to put the fire out easily.

Is a Dry Riser a Legal Requirement?

Dry risers are a legal requirement in any building that is more than 18m high, or has more than four floors.

This means that if you have a dry riser on your property, you are also obliged by law to have it regularly tested and maintained.

Dry Riser or Wet Riser?

Wet risers are permanently charged with water and dry risers are not. This means that in a dry riser system, water will only be available once the fire brigade arrives and starts pumping it through the system.

Dry risers do pump very quickly, and either dry riser or wet riser systems can also be useful if there is a fire.

Dry Riser Testing and Maintenance

In the UK, dry riser maintenance is a legal requirement. In line with BS9990 – Dry Riser British Standard – the riser must be checked visually every six months. With dry riser testing frequency mandated every 12 months. In many situations, it may make sense to test more frequently than this. You could potentially check every six months in line with visual inspections to ensure greater safety and peace of mind.

At Robinsons Facilities Services, we can work with any Yorkshire-based business to provide a risk assessment, and a planned preventative maintenance schedule, which includes outlining the dry riser testing frequency to ensure that your system is kept up-to-date and in a good state of repair at all times.

Dry Riser Repairs

As well as planned maintenance, we can also work with your business on dry riser repairs should anything go wrong with your system. If a visual inspection, for instance, suggests that there could be a problem with your dry riser (or your wet riser) then you can call a member of our experienced team to arrange dry riser repairs.

If your system isn’t working, you may need repairs as a matter of urgency to ensure legal compliance. Our 24/7 emergency call out service could be ideal for those difficult, urgent situations.

Robinsons Facilities Services also offers a full range of maintenance for your commercial property including a variety of fire protection services, ensuring that your Yorkshire-based business is safe and compliant with UK legislation.

Working across Yorkshire, we cover North Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, East Yorkshire and South Yorkshire and offer a fast, efficient response time to all breakdowns and repairs. Contact us today for all planned, reactive maintenance or emergency call out. Call 01423 226578 or get in touch to see how Robinsons Facilities Services can help.