Dyne Fire Protection Labs is excited to announce the growth of our laboratory services to include a listed antifreeze verification service.
The current, 2020 edition of NFPA 25, the Standard for the Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance of Water-Based Fire Protection Systems, states that, “Except as permitted by 5.3.4.4.1 and 5.3.4.4.3, all antifreeze systems shall utilize listed antifreeze solution.” One of the exceptions allows legacy solutions to continue to be used in systems installed prior to September 30th, 2012, but only until September 30th, 2022, which is quickly approaching.
These listed antifreeze requirements were the direct result of an incident in 2009 where it was reported that a legacy antifreeze solution discharged from a sprinkler system and ignited when exposed to a fire. In response, UL investigated and concluded that certain concentrations of legacy antifreeze can, indeed, intensify a fire. As a result, NFPA quickly reacted, limiting the concentration of legacy antifreeze solutions currently in use and setting requirements on the use of listed antifreeze solutions moving forward.
A listed antifreeze solution is simply an antifreeze solution which has been evaluated by an independent third party to determine acceptability against a set of requirements. In this case, UL developed UL 2901 Antifreeze Solutions for Use in Fire Sprinkler Systems that contains the set of requirements to which an antifreeze solution must meet to be listed. This standard requires a variety of tests including, but not limited to, temperature stability, electrical conductivity, corrosion rate, compatibility with various materials, toxicity, and firefighting effectiveness which are all designed to ensure safe and effective antifreeze solutions. There are currently three listed antifreeze solutions at UL: Tyco LFP® Antifreeze, Lubrizol freezemasterTM Antifreeze, and Tyco LFP® Antifreeze+. Please consult the listing information and/or the manufacturer for more information on their installation and application.
As building owners continue to transition from legacy to listed antifreeze solutions, Dyne Fire Protection Labs is here to help differentiate these solutions during routine inspection, testing, and maintenance (ITM). The listed antifreeze verification test* determines the chemical composition of a sample and compares it to the known chemical compositions of listed antifreeze solutions.** When requested, the listed antifreeze verification test would be done in addition to the routine antifreeze solution testing already offered by Dyne, which includes an assessment of the solution’s refractive index and density to fulfill the annual (before the onset of freezing weather) testing requirements in NFPA 25. The report for the routine antifreeze solution testing also includes the solution’s pH, and, for legacy solutions,
confirmation on the type of antifreeze, an estimation on the % concentration of antifreeze in the solution (both by weight and by volume), as well as an estimation on the freeze point.
According to Grant Lobdell, the General Manager at Dyne Fire Protection Labs, “NFPA 25 requires the replacement of any antifreeze solution that cannot be reliably determined. When installation or maintenance records are insufficient, our new listed antifreeze verification service is a way for building owners and/or their designated representatives to verify they have a listed antifreeze solution installed.”
*Additional fee applies.
**The exact chemical composition of the agent cannot be reported. The result will simply be reported as PASS or FAIL based on the agent specified.
For more information, please visit dyneusa.com to learn more.
