How often a private hydrant needs service
Once a year, at minimum. NFPA 25 calls for private fire hydrants to be inspected and flow tested annually, and most owners have routine maintenance done on that same visit so the hydrant gets one full check each year.
Some events call for service sooner. A vehicle strikes the hydrant. A fire crew opens it. Someone reports a leak at the base, or a cap goes missing. In any of those cases, have it looked at before the next emergency, because damage to the internal parts doesn't always show from the outside.
What a maintenance visit covers
- A walk-around for impact damage, leaks, missing caps and anything blocking access.
- Caps off; threads and gaskets checked.
- Operating nut lubricated.
- The hydrant opened fully and flushed until the water runs clear, then closed slowly so the main doesn't take a sudden pressure surge (water hammer).
- Valve checked for a tight shutoff.
- On dry-barrel hydrants, a check that the barrel drains after shutoff.
- At the annual visit, a flow test with the results recorded.
Bonnet colors follow NFPA 291, which ties each color to a flow class. Wrong paint sends the wrong signal. If a part has failed, our page on fire hydrant repair in Burbank covers that work, and annual fire hydrant testing in Burbank covers the flow test on its own.
Burbank's fire and water authorities
Burbank isn't covered by the Los Angeles County Fire Department. The city has its own Burbank Fire Department, and its Fire Prevention Bureau runs routine fire and life safety inspections of commercial and multi-family properties. If a notice arrives after one of those inspections, send us a copy and we'll tell you which service it calls for. Deadline questions go to the Bureau.
Water comes from Burbank Water and Power, the city-owned utility. For flow and pressure data on its system, BWP asks for a Hydrant Flow Data Request form, and requests outside R-1 and R-2 zones carry a $125 fee.
Who may do the work
In California, 1 Pro Fire's work is performed by Hedrick Fire Protection. Hedrick holds C-16 (fire protection) and C-10 (electrical) contractor licenses and is licensed by the California State Fire Marshal under Title 19 for inspection, testing and maintenance of water-based fire protection systems. Comparing bids? Ask each contractor for its C-16 license and its State Fire Marshal Title 19 certification.
Getting us to your property
We provide hydrant maintenance in every Burbank ZIP code. Tell us how many hydrants you have, where they sit on the property and when each was last serviced, plus a photo of any damage. Then call (213) 568-0188 or email socal@1profire.com.
For other work at the same site, see fire sprinkler service in Burbank or fire hydrant installations in Burbank, or start from our Burbank fire protection hub. Outside the city? See fire hydrant maintenance in Los Angeles County or fire hydrant maintenance in Orange County.
Burbank hydrant maintenance questions
Do you service Burbank?
Yes. Burbank is in our service area, and the phone and email on this page reach us for it.
A car hit our hydrant. What should we do?
Call us and keep the area clear. Even a hydrant that still stands can have a bent stem or a broken valve inside, so we inspect it before it goes back in service.
Is maintenance the same as the annual flow test?
They're usually done on the same visit, but they're separate jobs. The flow test measures what the hydrant delivers; maintenance keeps the valve, caps and threads working so the hydrant opens and shuts when a crew needs it.