Start with the system type
Every new sprinkler job begins with one decision. Wet or dry?
Most occupied buildings use a wet system, with water held in the pipe right up to the heads. Dry-pipe, pre-action and deluge systems keep the pipe empty until a valve opens, which suits spaces where water sitting in the line is a problem or where an accidental discharge would do serious damage.
That choice stays with the building. Under LAFD Chief's Regulation 4, wet systems are tested every 5 years, while dry-pipe, pre-action and deluge systems are tested every year. A dry system means more test visits for as long as it's in service. We talk through that trade-off before any drawing starts.
Plan check goes through LAFD
San Pedro has been part of the City of Los Angeles since 1909. There's no separate city fire office here.
Sprinkler work in new construction and remodels goes to LAFD Fire Development Services, which handles fire and life safety plan checks, permit approvals and field inspections across Los Angeles. Its offices are Metro, West LA and Van Nuys. None is in the Harbor area. Before design begins, confirm with LAFD which fire code edition your permit falls under.
Designed around your water supply
Pipe sizes come from a hydraulic calculation. It answers one question: can the water at your connection deliver enough flow and pressure to the farthest heads in the design area while they're all running at once? In San Pedro, that water comes from the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) system.
The supply sets the starting point. Pipe layout, head spacing and whether the building needs a fire pump all follow from it. A weak supply changes the design. Sometimes a lot.
How the installation runs
- Site visit to measure the space, ceiling heights and what each area is used for.
- Drawings and hydraulic calculations prepared for the LAFD plan check described above.
- Riser, valves, pipe, hangers and heads installed to the approved plans.
- Pressure testing and the field inspection before the system goes live.
After the system is in
Installation is the first step. NFPA 25 sets quarterly and annual inspections, plus a 5-year internal pipe assessment and gauge testing or replacement, and California Title 19 adds a 5-year service and certification by a State Fire Marshal licensed contractor. Our San Pedro fire sprinkler service page covers that schedule. Restaurants should also see restaurant sprinkler inspections. If the new system will tie into a building alarm, read about fire alarm work in San Pedro.
Who does the work
California work for 1 Pro Fire 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 for inspection, testing and maintenance of water-based fire protection systems.
Outside San Pedro? See fire sprinkler installation in Los Angeles County and Orange County, or return to the San Pedro fire protection hub.
San Pedro sprinkler installation questions
Are you located in San Pedro?
San Pedro is on our service-area list. We work at street addresses in ZIP codes 90731 and 90732.
Do I need a permit for a new sprinkler system?
Plan for one. New construction and remodels go through the LAFD plan check covered above, with a field inspection before sign-off.
Is the LA County Fire Department our fire agency?
No. San Pedro is in the City of Los Angeles, so the Los Angeles Fire Department responds here.
Who keeps the sprinklers up once they're installed?
The building owner is responsible for keeping the system on its inspection schedule. We do that work too.
To start a San Pedro sprinkler project, call (213) 568-0188 or email socal@1profire.com
Our services include
Related Links
Ready to Protect Your Building?
Sprinkler design and installation for San Pedro properties.
(213) 568-0188