NFPA standards mandate sprinkler-specific wrenches—but there is a potential use case for “universal” tools and obsolete sprinklers
Fire sprinklers require wrenches that are specially designed by the sprinkler manufacturers to install and remove them. Regular wrenches that don’t fit sprinklers perfectly can damage heads, including the frames and, with slippage, the delicate heat-sensitive elements and deflectors. However, multiple versions of a “universal fire sprinkler head wrench” are for sale online—so what gives?
Sprinkler fitters know the importance of having the correct tool for the job, but property owners must also keep sprinkler wrenches on hand. NFPA 13: Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems and NFPA 25: Standard for the Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance of Water-Based Fire Protection Systems compel system owners to maintain a sprinkler cabinet on the premises with spare heads and their specifically compatible wrenches. This requirement enables quickly swapping out any damaged or activated sprinklers, ensuring consistent fire protection.
But given that fire sprinklers last a long time, some wrenches go missing over the years, and both sprinklers and wrenches may become obsolete and no longer purchasable. When this happens, buying a universal fire sprinkler head wrenchcan be very tempting. But is it ever okay to use these tools?
This article explains:
- What is a universal fire sprinkler head wrench?
- The NFPA rules and what sprinkler manufacturers say about universal wrenches
- One possible use case for universal wrenches and obsolete sprinklers
Always prioritize the right tool for the job. QRFS carries wrenches for Viking, Victaulic, Reliable, and Senju sprinklers, ready for your tool kit or spare sprinkler cabinet. Need one for an obsolete sprinkler? Contact our customer service team, and we’ll help you find a solution, whether it’s a wrench or a new sprinkler-wrench combo.
What is a universal fire sprinkler head wrench?
There are two basic types of universal sprinkler wrenches on the market: fixed-width and adjustable. The fixed-width version is like a regular crescent wrench that’s designed to fit around a single sprinkler size (or possibly two). These wrenches are “universal” to the extent that many sprinklers have similar dimensions.
But sprinklers aren’t all the same, so the fit won’t really be “universal.” Photos of a few of the unbranded, dodgy versions of these wrenches on certain e-commerce pages even show the wrench fitting poorly on the frame’s base—and a bad grip runs the risk of damaging a sprinkler.
A potential solution to an imprecise fit is an adjustable universal wrench, which is similar to a regular adjustable crescent. The jaws of these wrenches surround the sprinkler’s base, and users can tighten or loosen the jaws by turning a worm screw with their thumb. Some of these tools are shaped to reach recessed or concealed sprinklers.
For example, Argco also manufactures an adjustable universal sprinkler wrench—see it demonstrated below:
However, unlike the wrenches that fire sprinkler manufacturers design to fit their sprinklers, the documentation for Argco’s adjustable wrench clearly states that it is not approved for installation use. The company says that manufacturer-designated sprinkler wrenches should be used for installing sprinklers, and its adjustable tool is only for removal. More on why that is next!
NFPA rules are strict, but sprinkler manufacturers agree: Universal wrenches could be used for removal, NOT installation
Universal sprinkler wrenches are a great concept, but NFPA 13 and NFPA 25 don’t permit their use. Here are NFPA 13’s rules in the wrench-specific section of what should be in a spare sprinkler cabinet:
From the 2025 edition of NFPA 13
16.2.7 Stock of Spare Sprinklers.
16.2.7.6 One sprinkler wrench as specified by the sprinkler manufacturer shall be provided in the cabinet for each type of sprinkler installed to be used for the removal and installation of sprinklers in the system.Enhanced Content: The proper type of sprinkler wrench must be used to install and remove sprinklers. The use of the wrong wrench could cause damage to the sprinkler.
Notably, NFPA 13’s strict language requires using a sprinkler manufacturer’s wrench for both installation and removal. However, QRFS spoke to tech services personnel at two major sprinkler manufacturers, Viking and Victaulic, and they offered a more nuanced take. These pros definitively advised using the wrench explicitly designed for a sprinkler during installation—no universal wrenches allowed whatsoever. But removal is a different story.
Here’s what a Viking representative had to say:
For installation, the special sprinkler wrench is required for the specific sprinkler being installed. This helps prevent damaging the sprinkler. Other wrenches can be used to uninstall a sprinkler since the sprinkler is being removed from service, and damaging the sprinkler isn’t a concern.
A Victaulic representative had a similar take:
Per [Victaulic policy], we would require you to utilize the proper wrench during the installation of new sprinklers. Failure to use the specified wrench during the new installation of a sprinkler could compromise the integrity of the sprinkler and would void the warranty of the product. There is generally not this concern about using specified sprinkler wrench on a sprinkler that is already installed, in this regard, as it would not be permitted to be reinstalled.
So, Victaulic and Viking reps agree: Using “universal” wrenches to install sprinklers is a no-go due to damage potential (not to mention voiding the warranty and violating NFPA rules). But removing fire sprinklers with universal wrenches is generally okay because, except in specific circumstances, you can’t reinstall a threaded sprinkler that’s removed from service:
From the 2023 edition of NFPA 25
5.4.1.2 Where a threaded sprinkler has been removed from a fitting or welded outlet for any reason, the sprinkler shall not be reinstalled.
Since uninstalled sprinklers mostly cannot be reinstalled, there’s little harm in using universal wrenches to remove them, assuming the system is drained (which it naturally should be), so any slippage won’t break the heat-sensitive element and cause a flood. However, that awful scenario could happen if someone employs the wrong wrench to tighten a sprinkler or twist the frame arms parallel with the branch line in a charged system.
Again, there are exceptions to the rule prohibiting reinstalling sprinklers, including for heads that can be removed and reinstalled from threaded fittings that are “specifically listed” for that purpose (NFPA 25: 5.4.1.2.3). In that case, the individuals working on a system should certainly use the manufacturer-designated wrench.
A use case for a universal sprinkler wrench and obsolete sprinklers
One good scenario for a universal fire sprinkler head wrench involves obsolete sprinklers. As discussed above, NFPA standards require maintaining a stock of spare heads plus the wrenches to install them on the premises. Since fire sprinklers will remain installed for many years (often many decades) before the need to start testing them, it’s entirely possible some or all sprinklers in a system will become obsolete at some point.
So, if a manufacturer stops making a sprinkler and its wrench, how are you supposed to stock the sprinkler cabinet? Do you have to replace all your sprinklers because a wrench goes missing and you don’t have—and can’t purchase—one? Universal sprinkler wrenches might be part of a good workaround for this problem.
Fortunately, system owners never have to replace all their sprinklers because the correct wrench for a sprinkler cabinet isn’t available. It’s a common misconception that spare sprinklers must be the exact same manufacturer and model (sprinkler identification number (SIN)) as the installed heads. However, as section 5.4.1.3 of NFPA 25 says:
While replacement sprinklers must have the same characteristics, nothing in NFPA 25 or NFPA 13 requires that the replacement sprinkler be the same make and model. Sprinkler manufacturers may update or discontinue a particular model, but sprinklers with the same operating characteristics are almost always available.
NFPA standards only stipulate that spare sprinklers should have the same orientation, K-factor, orifice size, temperature rating, and other functional features as the system’s installed sprinklers (NFPA 25: 5.4.1.3, NFPA 13: 16.2.7). They don’t mandate keeping spares that are the precise model, though this is the easiest, go-to solution when those sprinklers are still available.
So, if you need to stock a spare sprinkler cabinet, but the installed sprinklers and their wrenches are obsolete and unavailable, here’s a possible solution:
- Keep a universal fire sprinkler head wrench in the cabinet to uninstall the old sprinklers in the system when necessary.
- To maintain the required minimum set of spare sprinklers, purchase currently manufactured sprinklers with the same thread size, K-factor, and other core features as the installed sprinklers.
- Buy the modern sprinkler wrench that is compatible with the new, replacement sprinklers and put it in the cabinet. The new wrench will be required for installing the spare sprinklers.
However, note that some authorities having jurisdiction (AHJs) may interpret NFPA rules very specifically. Remember, NFPA 13 specifies wrenches in spare cabinets must be “used for the removal and installation of sprinklers” (emphasis added). Thus, an AHJ could theoretically insist on compatible wrenches only, which would require buying all new sprinklers (and wrenches) to replace the obsolete ones.
That all said, AHJs tend to be reasonable, and NFPA standards give them significant discretion to interpret the rules in a way that doesn’t compromise fire protection. Thus, having a universal wrench for removing old sprinklers while maintaining new spare heads and wrenches for damage-free installation should be a practical compromise—subject to your AHJ’s approval.
Keep those sprinkler manufacturers’ wrenches!
Again, always obtain and keep the specific wrenches that sprinkler manufacturers have designed for their sprinklers. The proper tools ensure easy removal and installation without damaging heads—plus a passing grade on the inspection of the spare cabinet. While most sprinkler wrenches aren’t exactly inexpensive, buying an extra tool could be a good idea, given sprinklers last many decades.
However, a universal wrench may serve a purpose in removing obsolete sprinklers, subject to approval from the authority having jurisdiction. It’s a much more practical and economical solution than replacing every obsolete sprinkler in a building because the original tool to remove them isn’t available.
QRFS carries wrenches for Viking, Victaulic, Reliable, and Senju sprinklers for your toolkit or spare sprinkler cabinet, ready to ship. We also carry spare sprinkler head cabinets in various sizes.
If you have questions or need help ordering the right part, contact us at 888-361-6662 or support@qrfs.com.
This blog was originally posted at blog.qrfs.com. If this article helped you, check us out on X @QuickResponseFS.