|
Residential Sprinklers: Myths and Facts |
|
Fact Water damage from a sprinkler system will be much less severe than the damage caused by water from firefighting hoselines or smoke and fire damage if the fire goes unabated. Quick response sprinklers release 8 to 24 gallons of water per minute compared to 50 to 125 gallons per minute released by a firehose. Sprinklers are highly reliable devices that are activated by heat. They will only go off if there is a fire which increases the heat beyond the sprinkler trigger point (typically 135 to 165°F (57.2 to 73.9°C)). Preaction systems employ additional safety features. |
|
Myth "Water damage from a sprinkler system will be more extensive than fire damage." |
|
Myth "When a fire occurs, every sprinkler head goes off." |
|
Fact Sprinkler heads are individually activated by fire. Residential fires are usually controlled with one sprinkler head, and 90 percent of all fires are controlled with six or fewer heads. A study conducted in Australia and New Zealand covering 82 years of automatic sprinkler use found that 82 percent of the fires that occurred were controlled by two or fewer sprinklers |
|
Myth "Sprinklers are ugly, I don't want them in my space." |
|
Fact Residential and commercial sprinkler heads come in a variety of unobtrusive styles and models and in designer colors. Some can be mounted flush with the ceiling line, and concealed behind protective covers.. |
|
Myth "Sprinkler systems are not practical in cold climates, the pipes will freeze and cause water damage." |
|
Fact In commercial applications, dry pipe and preaction sprinklers provide an alternative to water-filled pipes. Anchorage, Alaska, has had a residential sprinkler ordinance in place for more than 10 years and residents have not experienced a single sprinkler system freeze-up. |
