Did you know that four major property classes (apartments, hotels, offices, and healthcare facilities) account for half of all fires in high-rise buildings? Fortunately, high rise fires are rare in the United States, but these buildings are densely populated and thus have the potential for catastrophic accidents if fires do occur. That’s why it is essential to have a fire prevention system in place to protect the patients, residents, employees, or travelers residing in these buildings. One of the best options for high rise fire safety is a sprinkler system.
Fire Sprinklers
If you are safety conscious and are thinking of your best options, a local fire sprinkler service in Atlanta is a great option. Fire sprinklers work differently than smoke alarms; a fire alarm system goes off when circuitry detects smoke interference.
How do modern sprinkler systems work? There are a few different types in operation today:
A wet pipe sprinkler system takes a seemingly old-fashioned approach with its trigger mechanism, but it’s actually quite clever. A sprinkler you would see on a hospital or hotel ceiling is scarcely any different from a kitchen faucet. There are no knobs obviously, but inside the sprinkler head is a plug. This plug is made out of materials that will either melt or break away when heat becomes sufficient. The other benefit of this system is that it will only trigger if it’s hot enough. Smoke from cooking in your apartment building won’t give your living room a shower.
A dry pipe system works a little differently. There is still the same plug in the faucet, but instead of plugging water from being released it holds back a pressurized gas. When the plug melts, the gas is released, triggering a valve to open within the pipe, which then releases the water. Now, though this method seems unnecessarily complicated, it is useful for cold climate buildings. The water in dry pipe systems is kept warm in the water main, while water in wet pipe systems can freeze if it gets too cold, rendering the sprinkler system useless.
Contact your local fire sprinkler service in Atlanta to learn more about what will work best for your building. If you already have one installed, schedule a fire sprinkler inspection in Atlanta today!
