You’ve seen fire sprinklers before, but maybe only in movies. They can be seriously useful—preventing fire damage and saving lives in some cases. With residential fire sprinklers trending in the United States, it may be necessary to go over some basic myths associated with this lifesaving appliance.
Fact: Not true at all! If the fire is allowed to spread, it will be chaos. Water damage is a much more preferable alternative. Sprinkler systems are also much less intense than the fire department’s methods. The 8-24 gallons of water released per minute by a sprinkler system pales in comparison to the 80-125 gallons discharged per minute by the average fire hose used by Minneapolis fire departments.
Fact: Engineers knew of this problem when manufacturing indoor sprinkler heads to deal with house fires. Sprinkler heads are individually activated by fire temperatures above 155 degrees. In fact, a study conducted during 80 years of automatic sprinklers, it was discovered that 82% of house fires were stifled by only two or fewer sprinkler heads
Fact: Smoke detectors don’t stop the fire. They alert you and your family members to leave the area, not be firefighters. Additionally, smoke detectors have been known to fail to sound an alarm due to dead or removed batteries. Be sure to double-protect your home by installing smoke detectors in good, working condition along with fire sprinkler systems to extinguish the fire.
Fact: Actually, due to the increasing demand for home fire sprinklers, the price is plummeting down. A Fire Protection Research Foundation report found that installing fire sprinklers averages only about $1.35 per square foot of sprinkler area. In addition, most insurance companies offer incentives for homeowners who choose to install fire sprinklers. So not only will fire sprinklers help save property and lives, monetary compensation can be given.
Fact: This stigma may have started by homeowners only being exposed to commercial sprinklers. Residential sprinklers are much more discrete. There are several options for installation like concealing the sprinklers behind a plate, installing them in walls, and making them flush with the ceiling. Whatever your preference may be, just remember that there are options to suit your needs.
Fact: Fire sprinklers and smoke alarm systems are independently activated. Sprinkler heads are heat activated, but not in any way connected to your fire alarm. That would be frustrating! Since smoke alarms only give an audible warning sound, you can rest assured that a sensitive fire alarm won’t trigger water damage from sprinklers.
24Restore in Minneapolis can help you with all your fire damage restoration needs. Whether fire sprinklers are in your future or not, having the name and number of a reputable restoration company is a great step to take to be prepared for damage. We offer services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If you’ve recently experienced fire damage, contact 24Restore to discuss restoration options.