The best way to fight the spread of a fire in your place of business is an automatic sprinkler system. Sprinkler systems can be cost effective. According to Northeast Fire Prevention, if you are planning a new building, they add about 1 percent to construction costs, about the same as new carpeting, and can also provide discounts on your insurance premiums. They are designed to control a fire even when the workplace is not occupied, and are about 95 percent effective when properly installed and maintained. They greatly reduce property losses by fighting a fire in its early stage. Despite the evidence proving the effectiveness of sprinkler systems, some people are still skeptical about their value and role in preventing fires. Know the difference between fact and fiction to help you make an informed decision about an automatic sprinkler system.
Fact Vs. Fiction
The biggest myth about automatic sprinkler systems is that if a fire starts somewhere in the building, all the sprinkler heads will go off and spray every room, leading to property damage. This isn’t true: The fact is that each sprinkler head is individually activated by fire. Each head reacts to the temperature in the room where it’s installed, not to the reactions of the other sprinkler heads in the system.
Another misconception is that water damage from the sprinklers will cost more than actual fire damage. The fact is that an automatic sprinkler system is the best way to protect your business. In an environment with no system in place, a fire can spread through an entire building, potentially damaging a significant amount – if not all – of a business’s property. With a sprinkler system, that same fire should be controlled in the room where it started with only a few sprinkler heads. All the other business property would remain safe.
Maintenance Checklist
Proper maintenance will reduce the chance of a system malfunctioning, as well as accidental sprinkler leakage. Download a sprinkler inspection checklist to provide a basic guide for evaluating the sprinkler system within your building. It is not intended to take the place of regular servicing by a qualified sprinkler contractor. Go through the checklist, and call a contractor if you notice inconsistencies in your building’s system.
For information about residential sprinkler systems, visit the Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition.
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