When it comes to sprinklers, it may be easy to think that every building has the same system installed. After all, how much variation does there need to be?
It turns out, quite a lot. When moving into a new building, or upgrading an existing one, the safety of the people who will be using it daily is priority number one. So, therefore, a whole array of different sprinkler systems have been developed in order to properly manage every situation and keep the risk of a fire to the lowest level possible.
As it turns out, there are eight different types of sprinkler taps. The ones you picture in your head are most likely the conventional and the upright versions. These are the ones you see in the movies, that act like an enlarged shower that distributes water in a wide spherical manner.
Similar to this are the pendant sprinklers, the only difference being that the extinguishant is sprayed directly downwards in a much smaller area.
These are the most basic systems that you will see and are often the cheapest. However, the most popular system is the concealed pendant tap, which acts the same way as a standard pendant sprinkler – distributing water straight down in a small cone – but is concealed within the ceiling of the room. The concealed sprinkler is often the most popular choice in offices and public buildings in order to preserve the aesthetic of the room.
The final sprinkler choices are the horizontal and vertical sidewall sprinklers (which can also come in concealed versions). These sprinkler systems are attached to walls and doors in order to ensure that extinguishant reaches all areas of the room. The horizontal version shoots straight outwards, pointing towards the opposite wall, whereas the vertical version is attached to the wall but shoots straight down instead.
Once the type of nozzle has been settled on, another key decision is which piping system is appropriate for the sprinklers. For example, wet piping is the most common form of pipe systems, this version stores the water under pressure in the pipes themselves ready for immediate use.
The alternative is the dry pipe, which is used when the piping is likely to freeze. These pipes store gas in them to ensure the right temperature is maintained in the pipework, this is released first, after which, water is released.
Whether dry piping or wet piping is necessary to ensure the highest safety standards, the final thing that needs to be considered is maintenance. When a premises is protected by a sprinkler system the law states that they should be tested four times a year. This can be a hassle in premises that aren’t completely empty, pouring water everywhere is undoubtedly going to cause damage. However, there are various products that can be attached to sprinkler systems that check the water flow is working without activating the nozzles and spraying water everywhere.
If you’re looking to install a sprinkler system, then it is important that you weigh up each option carefully and also ensure you have proper ways to regularly test that they still work before making any choices.