Fire safety valves - the importance of regular maintenance

Teddington is proud to manufacture the KBB fire safety valve – the bestselling remote acting fire safety valve in the UK.

Industry standards necessitate the fitting of remote acting fire safety valves as a fundamental part of any oil boiler installation. They also state that testing should be carried out at least once a year to ensure the valve is operating correctly.

Kenneth Maxwell, sales manager at Teddington, explains more about the importance of regular testing.

To conform with UK safety standards we recommend that all engineers and technicians test KBB fire safety valves at least once a year as part of their regular routine maintenance.

British Standard 5410-1:2014 sets out the code of practice for oil fired appliances up to 45kW output used for heating and hot water supply purposes.

Section 16.4 on the Oil Supply System makes clear that oil supply fire valves should be inspected and checked for proper operation, including testing their reset function where appropriate, at least once a year. Where leakage is suspected from an oil supply line, pressure testing should also be carried out.

Field testing procedures for both mechanical and electrically operated remote acting fire valves are given in OFTEC Technical Books 2 and 5 along with further advice on oil line testing procedures and replacing flexible oil lines in OFTEC Technical Book 2.

Technicians are advised to visually inspect the valve for signs of damage and/or oil leakage at joints with the oil supply pipe.

The sensor capillary tube should be checked throughout its length for any kinks or damage and to ensure that it is adequately supported and protected.

Due to the high risk of scalding open to technicians, OFTEC no longer supports the once common method of using boiling water as a test to prove the operation of fire valves.

Instead, the correct operation of the fire valve should be checked using appropriate electronic test equipment.

Teddington’s KBT1000 for example, checks that the operation to close the fire valve takes place at a specified temperature as well as ensuring that the valve can be manually reset once the sensor temperature has reduced to a normal operating level.

As industry guidelines make clear, fire safety valves should not be overlooked. Although it may never be needed, they perform a crucial and often unknown role, safeguarding properties against the risk of fire and potentially saving lives.