How Do Fire Sprinkler Systems Work?
Every commercial building must have a fire protection plan in place. This includes setting up an evacuation plan and providing people and buildings with the right equipment, this includes a fire sprinkler system. These mechanisms can prevent property damage and save lives if they’re installed correctly. This article will answer “How do fire sprinkler systems work?” so that you can understand the components of your fire system and rest assured knowing your facility is prepared for an emergency.
Where It All Begins
Fire sprinklers aren’t smoke detectors. These mechanisms don’t go off at the first sign of smoke. Instead, they’re triggered by heat. Essentially, each sprinkler system is encased in glass. There’s a colored liquid inside this glass that expands once the hot air rises towards it. When the hot air rises, the liquid expands, thus breaking the glass. Now, you may be thinking, “What does this have to do with getting me the right fire sprinkler system?”
Well, it turns out that different colored liquids determine how hot the fire is. For example, orange liquids can detect up to 135 degrees Fahrenheit. Black liquid, on the other hand, can detect up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit. So, if you work in a chemical plant or another high-risk area, you may need a fire system that detects substantial amounts of heat.
What’s Next?
The hot air rises, causing the liquid in the glass to expand and break. Sounds simple enough, right? Well, there’s a lot more to it than that! How the water is released depends on the type of mechanism you have. Wet pipe systems store water directly in the pipes so that it’s released the minute the glass breaks. Conversely, dry pipe systems store water behind a valve that needs to be broken before H20 can be dispersed.
A pre-action sprinkler is kind of like a dry pipe system, but it’s operated through an electronic device. A deluge water system is the only one that’s not activated by the liquid shattering the glass. Instead, it’s triggered by an alarm system, and the water must be manually shut off for it to stop. It’s essential to know the different types of fire sprinkler systems so that you can best protect your employees or tenants in case of an emergency.
Do They All Go Off At Once?
We’ve all seen movies where everyone in the school or office building gets drenched because the sprinklers go off. For the most part, this is a myth. Wet, dry, and pre-action sprinklers will go off one at a time, when hot air is detected in that area. Only deluge systems go off all at the same time. For this reason, these systems may be better for hazardous areas that are likely to experience a fire.
Pro Tip: You should still exit the building when one sprinkler of a different system goes off because the fire can eventually travel to you.
Where Can They Be Installed?
A lot of fire sprinkler systems look the same, but as this article has pointed out, different types of sprinkler systems can vary greatly. In fact, you can install different types of fire sprinkler systems in different areas, depending on your facility. For example, most are installed on the ceiling, so the water spray covers more ground. However, you can also install them on an inward side wall to have a similar effect.
Not only can you install them in different places, but modern-day fire sprinkler systems all look a tad different. These mechanisms come in different shapes, sizes, and colors. This gives people options for different applications, for example, a residential building may use a smaller, less obtrusive sprinkler system, for a better aesthetic look.
Maintenance
Fire sprinkler system maintenance is a heavily regulated field. There are guidelines laid out by NFPA 25 and other regulatory bodies, that every building manager must follow. For example, gauges should be inspected on a weekly or monthly basis. Gauges ensure that the glass breaks when the air temperature gets too warm. Pipes, fittings, and signings should be inspected on a yearly basis, and every 5 years, an entire inspection of the system is needed. If you ignore these steps, it could mean penalties from your fire marshal and disaster when an emergency strikes.
Before We Go
Now that we’ve discussed how fire sprinkler systems work, we should talk about a few other things you need to practice fire safety. For starters, you need the right equipment. All your fire extinguishers should be up to code, and you should have fire blankets. Every commercial building should also have an evacuation plan in place and practice fire drills so that everyone knows what to do in that situation. Finally, you must contact your local fire department when setting up a sprinkler system so that they’re alerted when it goes off.
Fire system professionals will install, inspect, and repair your system. Fire sprinkler systems are held to high quality standards and a critical part of any system is the backflow preventer. Backflow prevention devices prevent water from flowing backward, back into the water supply. They prevent non-health hazard pollutants from entering the potable water supply system caused by backpressure and/or backsiphonage conditions.
Backflow Direct has some of the highest quality backflow prevention devices in the business. In fact, we have many certified backflow preventers to put your mind at ease that show you we’re the best in the biz. We have certifications from Underwriters Laboratories and the Foundation for Cross Connection. Millions of people have trusted us with their fire safety needs, and we hope you’ll be next.
We understand that you don’t have time to think when a fire is happening. That’s why it’s all the more important to get the right equipment and maintain it so that you don’t have to stress in the event of an emergency. With the right fire sprinkler system and help from Backflow Direct, we’ll ensure that everyone stays safe and your property isn’t damaged. It’s a win-win situation.
