Sprinkler systems are one of your firefighting arsenal's most effective weapons. It has been demonstrated that the current systems cut fatalities and property loss by more than 65%.
Fire sprinklers are unquestionably something you want in your commercial property for this reason! How do fire sprinklers operate, though? I'll explain how commercial fire sprinklers protect your business from severe harm.
Step 1: Fire Sprinklers Detect Heat
Contrary to popular perception, smoke does not activate fire sprinklers. Since heat is transmitted upward with fire smoke, it's a simple error to make. However, if smoke was the culprit, all it would take to set off a fire sprinkler head in the office kitchen would be for you to burn your toast.
High heat activates the sprinkler system, which is how fire sprinklers function. The air directly above a fire heats up quickly as it burns. This heated air rises to the ceiling and spreads out. A chain of events begins when hot enough air hits a sprinkler head.
The majority of sprinkler heads have a glass bulb that is liquid-filled and made of glycerin. When this liquid comes into contact with air that has been heated to between 135 and 165 degrees, it expands. When the liquid expands, it shatters its glass confines and the sprinkler head activates.
Step 2: Fire Sprinklers Douse The Fire
Each sprinkler head is connected to a pipe that extends from the building to a dependable water source. A valve opens when heat triggers a sprinkler head, allowing pressurized water from the pipe system to discharge.
A fire sprinkler system needs pressured water to function properly. In order to more fully put out the fire and stop it from rekindling, this enables the water to spray outward in an arc.
Step 3: Fire Sprinklers Minimize Water Damage
Many people mistakenly believe that all sprinklers in a system are connected and activate when one is activated by heat because of the misleading manner sprinkler systems are depicted in movies.
This is not how fire sprinklers operate, and putting out a fire would amount to nothing more than exchanging water damage for fire damage.
Thankfully, sprinkler heads operate independently. Most of the time, one or two sprinkler activations are sufficient to completely put out a fire. This enables the little area where the fire began to only experience minor water damage. Additionally, the swift action of fire sprinklers is less destructive to your property than a call to the fire department because they put out fires with around six times less water than a fire hose.
Fire Sprinkler Inspection And Repair
Whether you need inspected or repaired, contact Security Fire & Life Safety today. As an experienced fire protection company with over 25 years of fire safety experience, you know you can trust our knowledge and expertise to bring your building up to code so it’s safer from fires. At Security Fire & Life Safety, we know how fire sprinklers work.