Hi Welcome back…. continuing on in the theme of fire sprinklers… if you are looking for a Fire Prevention system the following information may help you to decide which type of sprinkler system will work for you.
Fire sprinkler systems protect a variety of buildings and properties; many different types have been developed over the years. These include wet, dry, deluge, pre-action and foam. Each has its own unique set of characteristics that protect the specific building and property for which it was installed.
Sprinkler heads are connected to a system of pipes in the walls or ceiling of a room. These pipes are composed of steel, copper or fire-resistant plastic. The most commonly used system in commercial buildings is a wet pipe system, which is composed of steel pipes that are always filled with water (hence, the term “wet”). The water in these pipes is under a moderate amount of pressure. When the sprinkler head is activated, the pressurised water in the pipes is immediately released, providing a faster reaction time than any other type of system.
The wet pipe system is also the simplest and most reliable, boasting cost savings for easy installation and low maintenance. However, wet pipe systems are not always the best choice. Since the pipes are always filled with water, they’re not recommended for locations where the pipes might freeze or in residential environments where accidental leaks could be an issue.
As you might have guessed, in a dry pipe system, the pipes are not filled with water — they’re actually filled with compressed air. When the sprinkler head is activated, a valve releases the compressed air through the sprinkler head. Once all of the air is released, the pressure in the pipe changes, allowing water to fill the system this means that dry pipe systems have a slower reaction time (up to a minute delay). To make up for this, dry pipe systems release a larger amount of extremely pressurised water, which requires larger pipes (and a larger budget). And, while a leaky pipe in a dry pipe system doesn’t pose a flooding threat, maintenance to the system is more complicated and costly.
……….. ‘Til the next time Greg