Sprinkler Awareness: Understanding the Importance of Fire Sprinklers
15 – 21 May 2023
Fire sprinklers are an essential tool in protecting homes, businesses, and public buildings from the devastating effects of fire. Despite this fact, many people remain unaware of the benefits of fire sprinklers, and how they can make a significant difference in the event of a fire. In this blog post, we will explore the importance of sprinkler awareness and how it can help to prevent and mitigate the damage caused by fires.
What are fire sprinklers?
Fire sprinklers are a type of fire suppression system that uses water to extinguish flames and limit fire damage. Unlike fire extinguishers, which require human intervention to operate, fire sprinklers are triggered automatically when a fire is detected. Fire sprinklers are installed in various places, including homes, commercial buildings, and public spaces, and they are highly effective at limiting the spread of fires. The system consists of a network of pipes filled with water, and each sprinkler head is designed to detect heat and activate independently. When a fire breaks out, the sprinkler head closest to the fire will activate, releasing water to control or extinguish the flames.
The benefits of fire sprinklers
There are many benefits to installing fire sprinklers, including:
- Early detection
-
Fire sprinklers are designed to detect and extinguish fires before they have a chance to spread, allowing people to evacuate the building safely.
- Minimising property damage
-
Fire sprinklers can limit the amount of damage caused by a fire by extinguishing the flames before they have a chance to spread.
- Reducing the risk of injury
-
Fire sprinklers can reduce the risk of injury by extinguishing fires quickly and preventing the buildup of toxic smoke and gases.
- Saving lives
-
Fire sprinklers can save lives. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), sprinklers can reduce the risk of death by 80% and reduce property damage by 70%. This is because sprinklers can control or extinguish a fire before it spreads, giving people more time to escape and limiting the damage to the property.
- Cost-effective
-
The cost of installing a sprinkler system is relatively low compared to the cost of fire damage or loss of life. Sprinkler systems are also designed to activate only in the area where the fire is, minimising the water damage and reducing the cost of repairs.
Sprinkler awareness: What you need to know
When understanding sprinkler systems, it is important to know the following:
- Sprinkler systems are designed to detect heat, not smoke. This means that if a fire is smoldering and producing a lot of smoke, the sprinkler may not activate immediately
- Sprinklers are designed to activate independently. This means that only the sprinkler closest to the fire will activate, and the others will not activate unless there is a fire in their immediate area
- Sprinklers are not designed to extinguish all fires. They are designed to control or extinguish small fires, giving people time to escape and reducing the damage to the property. For larger fires, additional fire suppression systems and firefighting equipment may be needed
- Sprinklers require regular maintenance to ensure that they are functioning correctly. This includes regular inspections, testing, and maintenance by a qualified professional.
