Fire Sprinklers

Fire sprinkler systems have become widely regarded as the most effective and the most efficiency form of fire protection system. They can be used in residential or business premises in order to protect buildings, contents, and people from fire and smoke damage. They offer active protection which means that they actively control and extinguish the fire rather than simply warn you or act as a tool for you to extinguish the fire yourself.

Are Fire Sprinklers Expensive?

Installation costs can vary considerably depending on several factors. Domestic installations cost less than residential and commercial because they typically have fewer requirements. The mains water pressure to your property, number and style of sprinkler head, and other considerations will ultimately determine how much you pay but a reasonable domestic installation will usually start from around £1,500 making it an inexpensive method to protect your family's lives.

Are Fire Sprinklers Effective?

Simply put, fire sprinklers are the most effective form of fire protection there is. They do not require batteries so will never die. They will always operate when the seal reaches a specific temperature and they react considerably quicker than people. They also remove you from the path of danger unlike extinguishers, blankets, and other tools. Not one death in the UK has been recorded in homes that have sprinklers installed.

Are Fire Sprinklers Effective?

Simply put, fire sprinklers are the most effective form of fire protection there is. They do not require batteries so will never die. They will always operate when the seal reaches a specific temperature and they react considerably quicker than people. They also remove you from the path of danger unlike extinguishers, blankets, and other tools. Not one death in the UK has been recorded in homes that have sprinklers installed.

Are Fire Sprinklers Unsightly?

There are 8 main styles of sprinkler head that can be used in a sprinkler system. For domestic and residential installations, as well as commercial where needed, it is possible to have the sprinkler heads recessed in to the ceiling and covered with a decorator seal. These decorative heads cannot be seen unless activated.

Are Fire Sprinklers Better Than Smoke Alarms?

Smoke alarms are a useful tool in the protection against fire because they can alert you to the possibility of a fire. However, they are passive because this is where their protection ends. They are also notorious for failing when they are needed and they are battery operated so require regular checking and battery changing to retain their value. Fire sprinklers not only warn of fire but extinguish it and they work to put the fire out even if there is nobody home.

Are Fire Sprinklers Only For Commercial Use?

Fire sprinklers can be used in any setting where they are required. They can be used in homes, offices, warehouses, and industrial estates. They can be installed with minimum fuss and disruption and once installed they require very little maintenance in order to ensure that they continue to protect you, your family, and your property against fire. While fire sprinklers are most commonly associated with commercial applications they are equally beneficial to home owners, developers, landlords, and other property owners.

Are Fire Sprinklers A Long Term Solution?

Fire sprinklers actually have very few working parts, especially if they remain unused. With minimal maintenance you can expect a new sprinkler system to continue offering fire protection for you and your property for at least 25 years. Assuming that you use a reputable, skilled, and qualified installation service you can expect to greatly increase this number and you may even be able to enjoy the protection that a sprinkler system offers for 50 years or more.

For more details on fire sprinkler systems visit the Fire Sprinkler Solutions Website . Their effective, low cost, high quality sprinklers can save lives and protect property and belongings.

It is too easy for a house fire to start and unless you have adequate protection provided by a fire sprinkler system then you really do risk losing everything. More fires start in the home than anywhere else and they are one of the largest causes of deaths and serious injuries in the house.

There are some guidelines that we should all follow in order to minimise the risk of a house fire but there is always some danger and you should consider offering yourself and your family the best protection possible with a domestic fire sprinkler system installation.

Don't Leave Cooking Food Unattended

Unless it is in an oven safe or microwave safe pot then you should never leave cooking food unattended. You should also clean the cooking area because stray, flammable items can easily ignite when left around hot items like the stove or even a pan that has just been removed from the hob. Accidents do happen and sometimes freak accidents can occur so you should always exercise care and attention in the kitchen.

Put Your Cigarettes And Candles Out

Cigarettes are a major fire hazard and a huge fire risk in the home. Not only should you ensure that your cigarette is extinguished properly but you should ensure that the contents of your ashtray are fully extinguished before emptying. Candles are another major fire risk because they are an open flame. A slight breeze can blow paper or even a clump of hair towards the flame that may quickly start a fire in that room that spreads throughout the house.

Don't Overload Sockets And Extensions

Overloaded sockets can cause sparks and ignite. Unfortunately, the home is packed with flammable items and many of these are found around sockets and extension leads. A single spark is all it takes for a fire to start. Make sure you don't have too many appliances plugged into a single socket and always try to find a better way to plug your appliances in than using multiple extensions in a single socket.

Check Electrical Appliances And Wires

Another common way to start a fire is through the use of inferior electrical goods or through frayed electrical wires. Either can cause a spark, and some inferior electrical appliances are nothing more than a fire hazard. Whether you buy new or second hand ensure that the product has been properly tested and includes all of the seals that are required.

Check Your Smoke Alarm Batteries

A smoke alarm can be the first indication for the residents of a property that something is wrong and it is an early warning that enables you and your family to get out of the house before the fire worsens. However, a smoke alarm relies on the use of decent batteries and it relies on you to check those batteries and replace them when necessary.

Domestic Fire Sprinklers

Smoke alarms are a passive form of fire protection and if there's nobody home then they are unlikely to have any kind of effect at all. They can also malfunction providing no protection when most required. Consider a domestic fire sprinkler system because it will put the fire out while you can concentrate on getting yourself and your family to safety. Sprinkler systems have proven to be more than 99% effective in fighting fire and preventing small fires from getting worse.

Call or visit Fire Sprinkler Solutions today for more details on high quality domestic Fire Sprinklers. They can save lives and protect property when they are most needed. Don't risk your home or your family!

NFPA issues updated safety alert regarding antifreeze in new and existing residential sprinkler systems
August 18, 2010 -

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Standards Council has banned the use of antifreeze solution in residential fire sprinkler systems for new construction until further action by NFPA consensus standards committees, and NFPA has issued a follow-up to its July 2010 safety alert to provide updated guidance on the use of antifreeze in residential fire sprinkler systems. The council action and updated alert follow new research that was conducted after a fire incident raised concerns about antifreeze solutions in residential fire sprinkler systems. The incident involved a grease fire in a kitchen where a sprinkler with a high concentration of antifreeze deployed. The fire resulted in a single fatality and serious injury to another person.

"Fire sprinklers are one of the most effective ways to save lives and property from fire," said James M. Shannon, president of NFPA. "We have acted quickly to conduct additional research in order to provide the public and our technical committees with as much information as possible regarding the use of antifreeze in sprinkler systems."

According to NFPA, the home is the place where most fire fatalities occur, and when sprinklers are present, the risk of dying in a home fire decreases by 83%.

Shannon said the key findings from the new report were:

* Antifreeze solutions with concentrations of propylene glycol exceeding 40% and concentrations of glycerin exceeding 50% have the potential to ignite when discharged through automatic sprinklers.
* Both the 40% propylene glycol and 50% glycerin solutions demonstrated similar performance to that of water alone for fire control throughout the series of tests.
* Based on the results of this research, antifreeze solutions of propylene glycol exceeding 40% and glycerin exceeding 50% are not appropriate for use in residential fire sprinkler systems.
* Consideration should be given to reducing the acceptable concentrations of these antifreeze solutions by an appropriate safety factor.

New Systems

NFPA standards prohibit the use of antifreeze in residential fire sprinkler systems in new construction following the August 16, 2010 issuance of tentative interim amendments (TIA) to NFPA 13, 13D and 13R. If you are putting in a new residential fire sprinkler system (including all NFPA 13D applications and the dwelling unit portions of NFPA 13 and NFPA 13R systems), refer to the latest editions of NFPA 13, 13D and 13R, as amended by TIA numbers 1000, 995, and 994.

Existing Systems

* Fire sprinklers are extremely effective fire protection devices, significantly reducing deaths, injuries and property loss from fire. These systems should not be disconnected.
* Residential fire sprinkler systems, whenever possible, should not contain an antifreeze solution.
* If you have, or are responsible for, an existing residential occupancy with a fire sprinkler system, contact a sprinkler contractor to check and see if there is antifreeze solution in the system.
* If there is antifreeze solution in the system, determine if other means, such as insulation, can be used to provide adequate freeze protection.
* If there is no viable alternative to antifreeze solutions, NFPA recommends the following:
* Use only propylene glycol or glycerin antifreeze solution.
* The antifreeze solution should be the lowest possible concentration required for the needed freeze potential but under no circumstance should the antifreeze solution exceed a maximum concentration of 40% of propylene glycol or a maximum concentration of 50% of glycerin. Consideration should be given to reducing these concentrations by an additional safety factor*
* The antifreeze solution should only be a factory pre-mixed; use of factory pre-mixed solutions is essential to ensure the proper concentration level and solution integrity.
* Antifreeze solutions should only be used with the approval of the local authority having jurisdiction.

The full NFPA Safety Alert Regarding Antifreeze in Residential Sprinkler Systems and more information on this topic can be found at http://www.nfpa.org/antifreeze.

About the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)

NFPA is a worldwide leader in providing fire, electrical, building, and life safety to the public since 1896. The mission of the international nonprofit organization is to reduce the worldwide burden of fire and other hazards on the quality of life by providing and advocating consensus codes and standards, research, training, and education.