The Most Common Causes of Fire Sprinkler Discharge

In the modern world, there are a lot of different things that we need protection from. When we think about the safety of our home, we are usually looking for ways to safeguard ourselves from burglary or fire. The fire issue is often resolved by many homeowners installing fire sprinklers in their home. These sprinklers can automatically switch on and put water on a fire if it is occurring. They are quick to respond and helps save not only your house but also your life.

Though, in some unfortunate cases, there have been problems of Fire Sprinkler Discharge.  This is when the system accidentally switches on, even when there is no actual fire. It can be a problem for the property or building the sprinkler is installed in.

You should know about the most common causes of this so as to prevent these accidents from happening in the future.

Overheating Issue

There are some automatic sprinklers that merely respond to a lot of heat. The problem with them is that while they can accurately detect the presence of heat, they cannot know if it’s good or bad. Sometimes, just the heat that is emitting from your heaters or merely the sunlight will be enough to activate the sprinklers.

Damage in the Mechanical System

The system is after all a mechanical one. There can be some issues or malfunctioning in the mechanical part of the sprinklers. If the issue remains unresolved after a long time, it can lead to discharge. As a preventative measure, you should get the sprinklers checked by a professional on a monthly basis.

The Corrosion of the System

This would be true for much older systems as opposed to new ones. After time as passed by, the sprinkler system is subject to a lot of wear and tear especially corrosion. What this does is that it weakens the main parts of the system. When the main parts are not working properly, water is released at an unnecessary time.

 

Freezing Pipes

Some sprinkler systems have pipes that have water inside them. During the cold seasons, the water inside the pipes can freeze up. The water becomes ice and hence causes the pipes to expand. That is because the transition from water to ice leads to a lot of pressure. Ultimately, this pressure can lead to the fittings cracking and breaking down. This action can cause the room to be filled with sprinkler water when the ice begins to thaw.

Getting Insurance After the Discharge

If at any time you have to deal with accidental discharge of the sprinkler system, this is important information you should know. For this event, it is important that you have the relevant insurance and from the right and certified companies. The insurance inspector examines a lot of different things and guides you throughout the process.

You should also hire a fire protection engineer so that they can tell the insurance company about the system failures or incorrect installation. While you wait for the experts to do their job, you need to photograph all the evidence of the damage caused by the accident.

Preventing Such Accidents in The Future

This accident is something that can cause a considerable amount of water damage in your house. To avoid this unnecessary burden in your life, you should upgrade your sprinkler system and make sure there are very less chances of it having accidental discharge. Another way you could do this is by knowing the right company to buy the system from. Moreover, the installation should be properly done as well. Research thoroughly online before making any important purchases like these.