Leaking dry pendent
A big-box store in Dallas called us for a sprinkler repair in one of its walk-in freezers. We documented it on September 25. The sprinkler was a 24-inch, 200-degree dry pendent. It was leaking, and the head was covered in ice.
Why a dry head
The water in this system stays in the pipe above the freezer box. A dry pendent’s barrel is sealed at the top and reaches down through the freezer ceiling, so no water is supposed to sit in the part that gets cold. Where it goes through, the gap around the barrel has to be sealed against air movement, like every other penetration into a walk-in freezer. Otherwise warm, humid air leaks in, condenses, and builds ice around the head.
NFPA 25 requires a leaking sprinkler to be replaced.
The replacement
Dry pendents are made to a specified length for each installation. We replaced this one on September 30 and left our service tag on the riser. A store employee signed off on the work.
