Start with the inspection notice
Got a list from the inspector? Start there. Norco has no fire department of its own. The city contracts with CAL FIRE/Riverside County Fire Department, and fire and life-safety inspections of businesses go through the county's Office of the County Fire Marshal. Its local office is the Norco Eastvale Fire Marshal's Office at 3902 Hillside Avenue (951-737-8097). That office sets your re-inspection date. If you need more time, ask before the deadline passes.
Most of the sprinkler calls we get from Norco are about small, specific items:
- Escutcheon rings (the trim around each ceiling head) that are missing or loose, noted by the fire marshal.
- A spare-head box that is short on heads or missing its wrench.
- A head that popped or got knocked out of place.
Each one needs only a few parts. Each one still has a deadline.
Restaurant heads take a beating
Kitchens are hard on sprinklers. Heads near cooking can pick up a film of grease, heads get painted over during a remodel, and a head near the dish line can get bumped by a rack or a ladder. A head that's loaded with grease, painted or damaged may not open the way it was designed to. It gets replaced. Cleaning won't fix it.
New heads must match the old ones: the same response type, temperature rating and orientation. The spare-head cabinet follows the same rule. It should hold heads for each type in the building plus the wrench that fits them, so protection can be put back quickly after a head goes off.
When the water has to go off
Ring work often doesn't need it. Many escutcheons come in two pieces and snap around a live head. Swapping a head is different.
To replace a head, the technician closes the control valve for that area (or for the whole system, if your building has only one riser) and drains it. Before that valve turns, call your alarm monitoring company and tell them the system is going out of service, or the valve and water-flow signals can set off a false alarm. While protection is out, the fire authority may require a fire watch. Ask the fire marshal's office what it expects for your building. If you can, schedule the work before opening or after close.
Who may work on your system
In California, 1 Pro Fire's work is done 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 to inspect, test and maintain water-based fire protection systems.
Check the five-year date while we're there
Look at the tag on the riser. California's Title 19 requires a 5-year sprinkler service and certification by a State Fire Marshal licensed contractor, and NFPA 25 adds quarterly and annual inspections plus a 5-year internal pipe assessment and gauge replacement or testing. Is your sticker due next year? Plan for it now. Heads that have been in service for 50 years must be replaced or sample-tested. Our restaurant sprinkler inspections in Norco page covers the routine schedule, and Norco fire sprinkler service covers the rest of the system. Your hood suppression system is separate and runs on its own six-month cycle under fire kitchen service.
Have locations outside Norco? See restaurant sprinkler repair in Los Angeles County and restaurant sprinkler repair in Orange County, or go back to all fire protection services in Norco.
Restaurant sprinkler repair questions
Is a popped-out sprinkler head a fire safety hazard?
Yes. A head that's out of position or damaged may not work in a fire, and it can leak. Call as soon as you see it, and keep people away if it's dripping.
Will the landlord or insurance cover the repair?
It depends on your lease and your policy. Check both before work starts, because some leases make the tenant responsible for sprinkler upkeep and others leave it with the building owner.
What goes back in the spare-head box?
Heads that match each type in your building, plus the wrench for them. We can restock it on the same visit as your other repairs.
What if my re-inspection deadline is close?
Call the Norco Eastvale Fire Marshal's Office. Ask about an extension before the date passes, then send us the notice.
Send us the notice or describe the damage: call (951) 384-0323 or email socal@1profire.com