What’s the Cost to Repair Fire Sprinkler Corrosion?

The cost to repair fire sprinkler corrosion varies based on the cause of corrosion. It also depends on how your fire protection system provider fixes the issue. Some of the most common causes of fire sprinkler corrosion and forms of corrosion include oxygen, galvanic corrosion, pitting, and microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC). Once you understand the cause of the corrosion and the various solutions, then you can formulate an estimate of the cost to repair fire sprinkler corrosion in your facility.

1. Installing Nitrogen Generator, Air Vents, or Wet Pipe Nitrogen Inerting

Solutions to fix fire sprinkler corrosion caused by oxygen include installing a nitrogen generator, air vents, or wet pipe nitrogen inerting. The cost to repair fire sprinkler corrosion by installing a nitrogen generator on a dry pipe or pre action system cost between $10,000-$15,000 for sprinkler systems with a capacity of 500 gallons. The nitrogen generator pumps nitrogen into the sprinkler pipes and replaces oxygen. This mitigates the risk of oxygen causing fire sprinkler corrosion.

Two common ways to stop oxygen-induced corrosion in a wet pipe sprinkler system are by installing air vents or wet pipe nitrogen inerting (WPNI). On a wet pipe system, the cost to repair fire sprinkler corrosion is $2,000 and utilizes air vents to reduce oxygen levels. Whenever the fire sprinkler system fills with water, the vents allow oxygen to escape. This enables the pipe to fill completely with water and reduces the chance of oxygen getting trapped in the system. The second method, wet pipe nitrogen inerting, involves filling the sprinkler system with nitrogen. This displaces oxygen before refilling the pipes with water. To repair and stop fire sprinkler corrosion through wet pipe nitrogen inerting (WPNI) costs $5,000-$7,500 for smaller systems.

2. Inhibiting Microbiological Influenced Corrosion

Two common ways to inhibit microbiological influenced corrosion are by installing pipe that’s MIC resistant and using a chemical solution. There are types of fire sprinkler pipes that are manufactured and treated to prevent MIC and their cost varies. For 100 feet of branch line piping the cost to repair fire sprinkler corrosion is approximately $3,000.

Another method to keep microbiological influenced corrosion at bay is to inject a chemical into the fire sprinkler system. This costs between $14,000-$20,000 for a building that’s approximately 20,000 square feet with a single riser. This must be done every time the sprinkler is drained and refilled. But there are concerns about this method since it’s adding chemicals to potable water. Even if the chemicals are nontoxic there’s still a concern about whether they’ll impact firefighters during a fire or harm sprinkler components.

3. Removing and Replacing Sprinkler Pipe

When pitting, scale, and galvanic corrosion go unnoticed for too long they can destroy the fire sprinkler pipe. In this scenario, the pipe requires a replacement because of its’ compromised integrity. The corrosion’s severity and the amount of pipe that requires replacement determines the cost. Replacing a few sections of main in an occupied facility cost is between $2,500-$5,000. If oxygen or MIC is the root cause for the corrosion’s severity, then your fire protection service provider may also include another approach. Since this method reintroduces oxygen into the system through the replacement, this repair fails to solve MIC.

Once a fire protection contractor identifies the root cause of fire sprinkler corrosion then they can provide you with a solution. This is one key step in properly addressing the issue and preventing it. Another critical point requires working with an experienced fire protection service company that knows how to resolve fire sprinkler corrosion.

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