What Type of Fire Sprinkler System is Right for You?

The Right Sprinkler System Can Make All the Difference

Before you invest in a fire sprinkler system for your building, it pays to do your research. After all, that sprinkler system is your last line of defense. If a fire does break out, you want to make sure that your sprinkler system can quickly and safely extinguish it. There are many different sprinkler systems on the market today, making it essential to consult with a professional like Columbia Fire before making any final decisions.

At Columbia Fire, we take every variable into account in order to find the best sprinkler system for you. Before we examine your building, however, it might help you to answer a few questions to get a better sense of the type of system you might need. The following questions are meant to get you started.

What are you trying to protect?

Obviously, protecting human life is your top concern when choosing a sprinkler system. Rest assured that all of our sprinkler systems are designed to be as gentle as possible on people while still putting out the fire. Beyond that, you might want to consider what else in the building needs protection.

For instance, if you have a great deal of expensive equipment that would be ruined in the event of the sprinklers going off needlessly, it might make sense to invest in a pre-action fire sprinkler system. This type of sprinkler system does not have water flowing through the pipes until a fire is detected. Then water will flow to the pipes, but it will not discharge until the area around a sprinkler head becomes hot enough to indicate the presence of a fire.

What are the fire risks?

Different working environments carry different kinds of risks. As an example, if you are working in an area where flammable liquids are present, it makes sense to opt for a foam water fire sprinkler system. This sort of system can douse fires that water alone cannot. On the other hand, if you are concerned that a fire may develop and spread rapidly, you might choose a deluge fire sprinkler system. These types of systems drench areas with a high volume of water to douse a fire as quickly as possible.

What sort of temperatures will you be dealing with?

Temperature is the main determining factor when it comes to choosing between wet and dry fire sprinkler systems. If the room or rooms the system will be in are always above freezing, then it makes sense to choose a wet sprinkler system, which always has water flowing through the pipes. But if the room or rooms have below-freezing temperatures, choose a dry fire sprinkler system, which only has water flowing through the pipes once a fire is detected.

What do local building codes say?

Different communities have different standards for fire sprinklers, and it is essential that your system meet or exceed those standards. These standards are designed not only for your safety, but also for the safety of the community.

These questions are simply meant to help you start thinking about your fire sprinkler system. Before you have your system installed, it will be necessary to go over a wide range of other variables and requirements. Luckily, the experts here at Columbia Fire are more than ready for the job. Call us today to start designing your sprinkler system.