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The Heart of Safety: Understanding Fire Sprinkler Systems and Their Role in Property Protection

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Startech Engineering
The Heart of Safety: Understanding Fire Sprinkler Systems and Their Role in Property Protection

A fire sprinkler is designed to control/stop the fire automatically in buildings and other enclosed spaces. Although these systems have a long history of protecting people and property, we don’t know much about them. Therefore, understanding these systems can help you choose the appropriate one for your property. Read the guide below to learn about fire sprinklers, from their benefits to types and operations.


What is a fire sprinkler system?

A fire sprinkler system extinguishes fires from the beginning, thus refraining them from growing into dangerous fires. All this helps reduce property damage and saves plenty of lives. However, there are several other reasons for installing fire sprinkler systems.


Cost-effectiveness

Though fire sprinklers' upfront cost is high, no one can deny their cost-effectiveness in the long run. They protect a building from the damage caused by the fire, thus reducing the repair cost and loss in business operation.


Quick response

A fire sprinkler is the first line of defense in a building in case of a fire. It starts doing its work as soon as it detects a temperature change and reduces the damage.


Environment friendly

Fire produces smoke and other harmful substances which negatively impact the environment. Fire sprinklers control the fire quickly and effectively, thus helping to limit their environmental impacts.


Types of fire sprinkler system

Though fire sprinkler systems are of several types, some of their common types are wet, dry, and preaction fire sprinkler systems.


Wet fire sprinkler systems

These are the most common systems that most Fire Suppression Engineer install in a building. In this system, water is maintained in the pipes, and when the fire causes the sprinkler's heat-sensitive element to activate, water is discharged from the sprinkler head. It is fast and most effective and used in almost all commercial buildings.


Dry fire sprinkler systems

In a dry system, pressurized air or nitrogen is filled in the pipes instead of water. When a fire starts, the air pressure gets lost, causing the valve to open and flooding of water in the system, which is discharged when the sprinkler head gets activated. These systems are used in outdoor areas where water freezes in pipes.


Preaction fire sprinkler system

These systems are used in sensitive environments such as data centers and museums where accidental damage can cause a lot of damage. There are two types of preaction fire sprinkler systems- single interlock (which is activated by the detection system alone) and double interlock (which is activated by the detection system and the sprinkler).


How do they work?

Fire sprinkler system works on a simple yet effective mechanism. Here is how they work in simple steps.


Detection

Many people think that smoke triggers a fire sprinkler system, which is not the case. They actually respond to a rapid increase in temperature, which is a clear sign of a fire. The sprinkler head contains glass bulbs that respond to specific temperatures (135-165 degrees Fahrenheit). The temperature range is selected so that it is not too high that it gets activated by heat sources such as cooking and not too low that it can’t respond to a fire quickly.


Activation

When the temperature reaches a specific value, the liquid inside the glass bulb expands and continues expanding until the glass bulb shatters, activating the sprinkler head. One thing to note is that some sprinkler systems use heat-sensitive metal alloys instead of glass bulbs. This metal alloy melts in the presence of a high temperature and triggers the sprinkler.


Water release

The sprinkler valve gets opened when the glass bulb breaks. This enables the water filled in the pipes to flow freely through the sprinkler head. However, the water is sprayed strategically to cover as much area as possible.


Individual response

One of the intelligent aspects of a fire Sprinkler Design is its individual response capabilities. Sprinklers are independent of each other, which means only that sprinkler gets activated, which is close to high heat. This feature confines water to the area where it is required and does not soak all your property. 


The bottom line

Fire sprinkler system plays a vital role in protecting lives and property from fires. So, by understanding how they work, you will be better equipped to select the best fire sprinkler system for your property. Also, with technology, more and more efficient systems have been developing, which will help enhance your house and workplace safety measures.

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