What does NFPA 13 state regarding the maintenance of electrically operated valves?

The standard NFPA 13 emphasizes the importance of maintaining electrically operated valves to ensure they function reliably during an emergency situation. This means that regular monitoring and maintenance are crucial to verify that these valves are operational and ready to respond when activated. Proper maintenance checks can include testing the electrical components, ensuring connectivity, and verifying the physical state of the valves to prevent failures that could compromise the sprinkler system's effectiveness.

Monitoring and maintenance are vital because electrically operated valves can deteriorate over time due to mechanical wear, electrical failures, or environmental factors. Regular checks help identify and rectify any potential issues before they result in system malfunction when needed most.

The other options suggest either unnecessary frequencies of replacement, restrictions on the use of electrically operated valves, or dismissing their relevance entirely, which does not align with the NFPA 13 guidelines that stress reliability and operational integrity for fire protection systems.