When one sprinkler activates, do they all activate?
No.
Each sprinkler head works independently from the others and is activated by a heat only sensitive mechanism. Only the sprinkler over the fire will activate. Should the fire continue to spread, then and only then will another sprinkler activate. In most home fires, only one or two sprinklers are actually triggered. Burnt toast or smoke will not activate a sprinkler, only heat in excess of approximately 68°C/155°F.
Can the sprinklers go off by accident?
The odds are 1 in 16 million.
According to the factory Mutual Research Corporation the odds of a sprinkler going off accidentally are 1 in 16 million. You have better odds of getting struck by lightning or winning the lottery than having a sprinkler activate accidentally. All new sprinkler systems use sprinklers and piping that are rated for normal system pressures to 175 psi. These components can withstand pressure far in excess of that for short periods of time. All systems are pressure tested at 200 psi for two (2) hours as is required by the manufacturer’s and local fire codes.
Will there be excessive water damage from the sprinklers going off in the event of a fire?
Consider this
A residential fire sprinkler puts out roughly 15 gallons of water per minute while a fire hose sprays about 150 gallons of water per minute. In comparison, water damage would be far less than the alternatives.
Would my water damage insurance go up?
NO
In fact you should receive a discount for having a residential fire sprinkler system. If you do not receive a discount that you feel is adequate, then shop around.
What is special hazards fire protection?
Special hazards are defined by the critical nature of an operation or how easily the protected items or functions can be replaced. To determine if you need a special hazards fire suppression system, start by asking these questions:
Can the items be replaced?
Can you afford down time caused by fire damage or clean-up?
Are there redundant systems? Can you still operate if this system goes down?
If you answer no to these questions, then you need to look at fire protection not only for the structure of the building, but for the assets it contains. That is special hazards fire protection.
The special hazards family consists of five types of suppression systems. They include:
clean agent
foam
dry chemical
carbon dioxide
water mist systems
My business inspection report indicated that I must have my automatic fire sprinkler system inspected each year. Why is that required?
Most fire sprinkler systems are required by the Fire Code to be inspected annually. Some fire sprinkler systems, such as those protecting high hazard occupancies must be inspected more frequently. The inspection is designed to make sure that the system is in service and that it will provide adequate coverage. Common problems found during these inspections include obstructed sprinklers, painted sprinklers and faulty alarm devices which detect water flow.
