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Sprinklers
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Just What is the Extent of the Problem?
In the UK each year there are around 68,000 fires in dwellings and while many of these involve damage which is little more serious than the need to repaint a kitchen it must be remembered that more than 600 people have died in fires in the UK every year since 1945. Of these, more than 500 die in the home.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do sprinklers go off accidentally?
What about water damage?
Aren't sprinklers ugly?
Will special tanks and pumps be required?
What about maintenance?
What about installation?
How much does a sprinkler system cost?
Do Sprinklers go off accidentally?
It is possible for a sprinkler to discharge accidentally but it rarely happens. In fact, if a sprinkler is not subjected to freezing, overheating, or mechanical damage, statistics from the USA suggest only 1 in 16,000,000 sprinklers per year will open accidentally.
What about water damage?
Concerns over water damage due to fires in sprinklered buildings are often exaggerated. The amount of water which is put on a fire by fire brigade hoses in an unsprinklered building is nearly always 10 times more than that which sprinklers would have discharged. It is also true that if the fire is not controlled in its early stages, then greater damage will be done by the fire and the extinguishing of the fire by the Fire Brigade. During a fire, only sprinkler(s) closest to the fire activate, limiting the total amount of water needed to suppress a fire.
Aren't sprinklers ugly?
Owing to advances in sprinkler technology, sprinklers generally blend into the decor of a room. As with central heating, the pipes can be concealed behind ceilings, out of sight until needed to extinguish a fire. Sprinkler heads are also available in a range of colours and sizes.
Will special tanks and pumps be required?
Sprinklers are increasingly less demanding in terms of water flow. In most instances they operate from the domestic water supply and do not require any special water supplies or pumps. However, where water supplies are particularly poor, additional features such as water tanks and pumps may be necessary.
What about maintenance?
It has been argued that homeowners will be incapable of maintaining sprinklers to an acceptable standard and that pipes may burst in the winter if allowed to freeze. The same is true of domestic central heating systems, which are considerably more complex, and homeowners seem to be able to look after their pipes and have their boilers services. It is true that sprinklers are more at risk since they contain static water which is not ordinarily in use, so a frozen sprinkler pipe is less likely to be discovered and more likely to burst. However, if a sprinkler system has been properly installed to the recognised standard for domestic sprinklers, with a built-in maintenance regime, it will be protected from freezing. But no system is fool-proof and risk free and homeowners may need to be prepared to accept this slightly increased risk as a reasonable cost of improved fire safety.
What about installation?
The installation of a residential sprinkler system is arguably less complex than that of a conventional domestic pluming system. A basic concept of sprinkler protection is that sprinklers must be installed throughout all areas of the building. Fitting a system to existing or new buildings can also be made easier by the use of PVC plastic piping.
How much does a sprinkler system cost?
The cost of a system is dependent on the size of the property and whether the system is installed during the construction stage or is retrospectively fitted. Generally a system for a new property would be 1-2% of the total build cost. To fit a sprinkler system to a house that is already built will cost a few hundred pounds.
Below you will find links to some useful web sites which will provide you with information and facts regarding sprinkler systems.
www.basa.org.uk
www.firesprinklers.info
www.firesafetytoolbox.org.uk/ncfsc/hottopics/residentialsprinklers/thefactsaboutsprinklers.htm
Further information may also be found on this site at Community Safety/Our Initiatives/Sprinkler Systems.
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