fire sprinkler

. How do fire sprinklers work?

Fire sprinklers are the most visible part of a fire sprinkler system - an integrated array of pumps, piping and detection devices. Pipes hook into your building's water supply which is pushed, through pumping or pressurization, to upper floors in multi-level structures. Sprinkler heads are the distribution device that sprays water over a fire. Sprinklers are activated by high heat, usually between 165-175 degrees Farenheight. When they sense temperatures in that range, they release water over the hot area, dousing the fire.

• 2. Are sprinkler activated by smoke?

  No, fire sprinklers are heat, not smoke, activated.

• 3. Do sprinklers ever activate or leak accidentally?

  It is extremely rare that sprinklers ever activate by accident. A sprinkler discharge without a fire event is usually the outcome of accidental damage which is very rare.

• 4. Do all the fire sprinklers activate in event of a fire?

  No, each fire sprinkler is individually activated when the heat of a flame is present; on average only 1 or 2 sprinklers are needed to activate during a fire thus extinguishing the fire immediately and containing the damage. Residential fire sprinklers discharge approximately 12-25 gallons of water per minute versus the fire department's 250-500 gallons a minute.

• 5. Will sprinklers make my building look unattractive?

  Today, there are a wide variety of sprinkler heads considered aesthetically pleasing. Sprinkler heads are made in numerous shapes, colors and configurations, including some that stay hidden in the ceiling until they are activated.