Testing Fire Hydrants

If you’ve paid attention to the sides of the road, you’ve probably seen fire hydrants on most corners or in areas where there is a main water line. At times, members of the fire department need to perform fire hydrant testing to ensure that the hydrants are working properly. If they don’t work like they should, then it could result in a longer time to put out a house fire because the fire department has to get water from another source. There is a process for testing the hydrants that should be followed to prevent any kind of damage to the unit or any flooding in the area.

Aside from ensuring that the unit works like it should, testing the hydrant can also test the flow of water from the main source to the area. Some units deteriorate over time, which means that they aren’t as functional as they should be or that they don’t work at all. Testing can detect any issues with the main valves on the hydrant or any leaks that might be present. These issues need to be discovered so that they can be repaired before access to the hydrant is needed in an emergency. There are also updates to fire hydrants that can be performed to make them easier to access when they are needed.

Before testing the hydrant, you need to gather the proper tools, which most fire departments have on hand since they are the ones who will test the unit. The fire marshal is usually the person who performs the test. There are a few different types of gauges that are used as well as a reducing cap and a diffuser basket. A large wrench is often used to loosen the valves. One of the things to keep in mind is that most counties and cities use chlorine in the water supply. This can damage the internal components of the hydrant. It can also block filters that are inside. Diffusers are often used with neutralizing tablets so that there isn’t an abundance of chlorine that reaches homes or that circulates through the hydrant, keeping it from getting damaged as quickly.