There are many types of fire protection systems and their functions include detection, alarms, smoke removal and direct fire suppression. There are also measures designed to help firefighters where their assistance is required. In particular, automatic sprinklers are strongly recommended by fire protection engineers since they can extinguish most fires when the flames are still small.
Automatic sprinkler systems bring two significant benefits in addition to effective fire protection: Buildings become eligible for better insurance plans if they have sprinklers, and rental spaces become more attractive to tenants who prioritize fire safety. fires. Therefore, a sprinkler system provides benefits even if it is never activated during the entire life of a building.
Equip your building with a code-compliant fire sprinkler system.
Mandatory fire protection systems for a building change depending on the type of property and local building codes. However, if you decide to install optional measures, they must meet codes and standards, just like mandatory systems. Automatic sprinklers are not required for all buildings, but they must always meet NFPA 13 and local codes. In the case of New York City, all buildings covered by Local Law 26 of 2004 must be equipped with automatic sprinkler systems by July 1, 2018.
Understanding How Fire Sprinklers Work
Movies and TV series have created a misconception about automatic sprinkler systems. You've certainly seen scenes where all the sprinklers in a building activate at the slightest sign of smoke or fire, but this doesn't happen in real life.
In real construction projects, most sprinkler systems are designed for localized action, where sprinklers activate individually in response to heat. When there is a fire, only the sprinklers directly above release water and all other areas of the building are not affected.
Also note that sprinklers are triggered by heat and not smoke. Sprinkler heads have a heat-sensitive seal, which breaks when hot air from the fire hits them. In other words, they will not be activated by smoke from cooking appliances or cigarettes.
Unfortunately, many homeowners decide not to install sprinkler systems, believing they can water an entire building as portrayed in the movies. However, only deluge sprinkler systems work this way and are only used in areas with lots of flammable materials. Even a small fire is a serious hazard in these cases, and sprinklers are activated evenly. However, these are special sprinklers that are permanently open and controlled by fire and smoke detectors. Normal sprinklers that are activated with heat will not activate in response to heat and smoke detectors – only direct heat from the flames will trigger them.
Reducing the Cost of Automatic Sprinkler Systems
Although the cost of fire sprinkler systems varies depending on the condition of the building, you can expect to pay more than $3 per square foot of interior space. As a result, automatic sprinklers represent a considerable investment on large properties, but their cost can be optimized with smart design decisions:
- In new construction projects, fire protection engineers may work with architects to optimize sprinkler layout during the design phase. In some cases, the number of sprinklers can be significantly reduced with minor changes to architectural features.
- If your project uses false ceilings, use fireproof materials. When the false ceiling structure is vulnerable to fire, NFPA 13 requires sprinklers above and below the false ceiling. This drastically increases installation costs.
An automatic sprinkler system becomes less expensive when optimal coverage is achieved with fewer sprinklers and a shorter piping distance. Some local building codes include conditional requirements for fire sprinklers, where additional features are required if the sprinkler system has certain characteristics. For example, automatic sprinkler systems in New York City are subject to additional requirements if they have more than 20 sprinklers per connection.
Because the damage from a large fire is far greater than the cost of an automatic sprinkler system, fire protection can be considered an investment in your property. Also consider that sprinklers save many lives. Fire protection engineers can meet all applicable codes and standards for automatic sprinkler systems and can also reduce installation costs by optimizing sprinkler head layout.
