Understanding Your Company's Fire Sprinkler System

4/13/2022 (Permalink)

To avoid Fire Damage, it is good to Understand Your Company's Fire Sprinkler System

If your company has taken the extra step of putting in a fire sprinkler system, it has made a significant investment in fire protection. These units are at the ready night and day and can effectively suppress an incipient fire that could cause many thousands of dollars of damage.

Business fires are all too common, especially if your company in Kaysville, UT, is in a high-risk industry:

• Hot food preparation
• Warehousing of combustible items
• Heating and cooling
• Manufacturing

While sprinklers in your building are a valuable investment, they only are effective for fire suppression if they are in working order. To a large extent, this task falls on the company you contracted with, but that doesn't mean you don't have any responsibilities.

Knowing All About Your Fire Sprinkler System

The more you or someone in your company knows about the sprinkler system, the better off you will be. This allows you to develop a working relationship with your contractor and lets you keep track of regulations and compliance laws. A rudimentary understanding of how the system works is also important.

In general, a business sprinkler system has a series of piping that runs throughout the critical areas of your company. At certain points, sprinkler heads can release water from these pipes. When a fire starts, sensors recognize the heat and the system activates, spraying water onto the fire.

The best part of a good system is that it stops fires before they get big. This can prevent a lot of damage. You will still need a professional water damage restoration company to come to your building, but the cleanup will likely be fairly small. A fire sprinkler cleanup pales in comparison to a restoration job that includes soot and smoke damage.

Understanding the Installation Process

The people who install your system will be professionals who are well versed in the pertinent regulations and codes that apply. They can install the entire system when the building is going up, or they can put in a system in an existing building.

The cost for a good fire suppression system is not cheap, but it can save your company money on insurance. If the system is ever needed, especially at night when no one is around, it will be among the best investments your company has ever made.

Dispelling Myths About Sprinklers

Some companies worry that sprinklers could discharge for no reason or just because the air is too warm. Or that an insignificant heat source could activate the sprinkler heads, but this is rare and is unlikely to cause much damage to an area.

It is also important to note that not all sprinkler heads activate at once, only those nearest to the flame. In many cases, only one sprinkler head is needed to contain a fire.

At the minimum, your company should have a robust fire prevention plan in place to protect your property, your employees and the future of your company. A solid fire sprinkler system is one of the most effective ways to limit the damaging effects of a commercial fire.