Fire hose reel testing, installs and maintenance across the Hunter
We run the hose all the way out and turn the water on, so you know it reaches and it flows.
Hose reels serviced to AS 1851-2012, new reels installed and faulty ones repaired, for commercial and strata buildings from Maitland and Raymond Terrace to Newcastle, Lake Macquarie and Tea Gardens.
What we check on a hose reel
A hose reel is for the people in the building to use on a small fire before the brigade gets there. So the check is simple: could someone who has never touched it get water on a fire, quickly?
Getting to it
Nothing stacked in front of the reel, and it's easy to spot from the areas it covers.
Reel
Firmly mounted, turns freely as the hose pays out, and a swing type reel swings round towards where the hose will be used.
Hose
Run out to its full length and looked over end to end for cracks, kinks, perishing and wear, then wound back on evenly.
Nozzle
On the end of the hose where it belongs, opens and shuts off by hand, and changes between spray and a straight stream.
Valve
Turns on and off by hand, holds without dripping, and the handle is still there.
Water at the nozzle
With the hose run out and the valve on, water has to come through the nozzle with flow behind it. This is the part a visual check can't tell you.
Instructions and records
The operating label on the reel is readable, and the results go in your building's maintenance records.
Testing, installs and maintenance
Testing
Every reel in the building put through the check above, as part of routine servicing to AS 1851-2012, with results recorded for each reel, including anything that needs attention.
Installs
New hose reels for new buildings, extensions and commercial fit outs, and reels moved when a layout changes. Each one is placed so its hose reaches the area it's meant to cover, piped to the water supply, and tested with water on.
Maintenance
The fixes a test turns up: a perished or split hose, a missing or seized nozzle, a leaking valve, a reel that's stiff to turn, a missing sign. Fixing them is how a reel gets back to a pass.
Hose reels inside and out
Where a reel sits changes what wears out first, so the check looks harder at different things.
Outside walls
Sun and weather work on the hose and the valve, which is where perished hose and stiff valves come from.
Warehouses, sheds and workshops
Reels on posts and columns get boxed in by stock, pallets and machinery, and borrowed for washing down.
Offices, corridors and common areas
Reels by doorways and stairs get furniture in front of them, and in common areas nozzles can go missing.
Cabinets and recesses
Out of sight, so the door has to open freely and the sign has to tell people the reel is behind it.
Like the one in this photo, a reel on an outside wall is piped from the building's water supply. We also do backflow testing and installs, if the site needs a device on that supply.
What a neglected hose reel costs you
A hose reel matters in the first minutes of a small fire, when someone in the building grabs it. If the hose splits under pressure, the nozzle is missing or the valve won't turn, that time is gone, and a fire that could have been put out with a hose is now a job for the brigade.
If fire hose reels are on your building's fire safety schedule, they are one of the measures covered by the annual fire safety statement. A reel that fails its check has to be put right before it can be shown as performing, so it's better to find a fault early in the year than the week the statement is due.
Common hose reel faults
- The reel used for washing down or watering, with the hose left run out
- Nozzles missing or swapped for a garden fitting
- Hose cracked or perished, especially on reels in the sun
- Valves stiff or dripping from never being turned
- Reels boxed in by stock, bins or furniture
- Operating labels faded or signs missing
Booking hose reel work
Our hose reel work is on commercial and strata buildings, booked by strata and real estate managers, building owners and fire safety providers. Having these ready when you call makes the visit quicker to plan:
- How many hose reels, and whether they're inside, outside or in cabinets
- When they were last serviced, if you have the record
- Access: keys, after hours entry, or tenants who need notice
- Any fault you already know about, like a leak or a missing nozzle
Fire hose reel testing, installs and maintenance
- Standard
- AS 1851-2012
- Buildings
- Commercial and strata
- Also
- Commercial fit off alterations
- Emergencies
- 24/7 emergency services
Common questions
How often should hose reels be checked?
Hose reels are part of routine fire servicing to AS 1851-2012. Your fire safety schedule and past service records show what's due at your building. Send us the date of the last service and we'll work out the next visit with you.
What's the difference between a hose reel and a hydrant?
A hose reel is a smaller hose for people in the building to use on a small fire. A hydrant is for the fire brigade, with far more water behind it. They're tested differently, and we do hydrant inspections and flow testing as well.
What kinds of fire is a hose reel for?
A hose reel puts water on a fire, which suits ordinary materials like paper, wood, cardboard and fabric. Water is the wrong choice on electrical equipment or burning cooking oil.
Can staff use the hose reel for washing down?
It's better they don't. Everyday use wears the hose, the nozzle goes missing, and the hose gets left run out where people trip on it. A tap and a garden hose nearby for cleaning saves the reel for a fire.
Can you add or move hose reels in a fit out?
Yes. We install fire hose reels and do commercial fit off alterations, so a reel can be added or moved to suit a new layout.
A reel is leaking or has been damaged. Who do I call?
Ring 0474 659 574 at any hour, since we're open 24 hours, 7 days. A leaking valve or a split hose is worth sorting before the reel is needed.
Related fire services
Hose reel work across Maitland, Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, Raymond Terrace, Tea Gardens and the Hunter Valley.
- AS 1851-2012, Routine service of fire protection systems and equipment, Standards Australia.
- Fire safety certification and annual fire safety statements, NSW Department of Planning.