Why
are sprinklers important for fire safety?
In a large, fast moving fire people often do not know which way to
go and may not be able to use hose reels or fire extinguishers.Sprinklers
are completely automatic. They work by themselves and can stop heat
and smoke from trapping people.
How can we be sure sprinklers will work in a fire?
Most sprinkler systems are very simple. There are normally no moving
parts to fail. The pipes are full of water, usually from the mains.
The sprinklers over the fire burst open when they get hot and spray
water on the fire. If you have water in your pipes the sprinklers
will work.
What about water damage?
Reports of water damage from fires in buildings with
sprinklers are often exaggerated. Only the sprinklers
over a fire open. All the others stay shut. A sprinkler opening by
accident is almost unheard of. Firemen often use 10,000 times more
water from hoses to do the same job as a sprinkler. A valuable item
sprayed with water from a sprinkler as it puts out a fire can usually
be recovered or restored. One that is burnt to a cinder and flushed
down the drain by the fire hose is another matter! If there is a fire
the water form one or two sprinklers is a small price to pay for saving
a complete building, its contents or even a life.
What about smoke?
Smoke damage is a major cause of loss in fires. In serious cases smoke
is the main cause of death. Sprinklers wash the larger particles out
of smoke reducing its density and toxicity. In addition the water
cools the smoke making it less harmful. Quick response sprinklers
are now available that will attack a fire even earlier at its growth.
Fast attack dramatically reduces the amount of smoke that a fire can
produce.
What is the life safety record for sprinklers?
Apart from explosions there have never been multiple fatalities in
a fully sprinklered building in the United Kingdom. The total number
of deaths worldwide in sprinklered buildings is only 50 compared to
thousands in unprotected buildings. This is a record no other fire
system can match.
What do sprinklers cost?
The cost will vary depending on what your building is made of, what
you store in it, what you use it for and how good your water supply
is. A useful comparison is that sprinklers cost less than carpet.
But unlike carpet, which wears out, your sprinkler system will protect
you for the life of the building.
Aren't sprinklers unsightly?
Modern sprinklers are specially designed to meet the needs of architects
in offices, hotels, shops, hospitals and prestige buildings.They are
compact and elegant. In most buildings the public are usually unaware
that sprinklers are fitted.
Miniature sprinklers are little bigger than a 50p piece and
are neat and robust. They can be fitted with ceiling rosettes and
painted any colour scheme.
Concealed sprinklers are recessed and covered by a flat plate
flush with the ceiling. They are unobtrusive and almost invisible.
Concealed sprinklers are ideal for clean areas, where there is restricted
headroom or vandalism is a problem.
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