Residential fire sprinkler systems were first introduced in 2009 as an initiative that involved fire sprinkler installation in new residential construction. They can extremely beneficial in emergency fire situations. If properly working, they can stop a fire and minimize its terrifying consequences by giving more time for people to escape and for fire brigades to control it.
With merits come certain problems associated with these fire sprinkler systems. Some of the advantages and drawbacks/disadvantages of these fire sprinkler systems are as under:
Pros/Advantages:
- Safety of Life and Money
We keep hearing of outbreaks of fire that result in loss of lives and money. Fires are extremely difficult to control once they catch a building or a house. The smoke inhalation and heat can take away precious lives of the residents. Fires can turn house and businesses into mere debris. Fire sprinkler installation can help you combat such a situation. They can help reduce the damage and save lives of people. The risk of injuries can also be lowered. Such calamities are sudden and unpredictable so fire sprinkler system is your preparedness to survive such an emergency situation.
- Less Water Consumption
These residential fire sprinkler systems trace fire and try to extinguish it immediately. If you wait for the fire brigades to rush in, the time delay can allow the fire to spread out furiously everywhere. Controlling such a situation would require a lot of water and it still might not work out. So the fire sprinklers can be very helpful to control fire quickly while using less water.
- Avoid Flashovers
Flashovers refer to the fast spread of fire through the floor in all the rooms, especially in a multiple story house. The fire sprinklers help to avoid such fire flashovers by stopping the fire t spread from room to another.
Cons/Disadvantges:
- Heavy installation Costs
Fire sprinkler installation costs a heavy amount of plumbing, pumping, alarms and routine inspections. You need to have a big budget to install this system and ensure its maintenance later.
- Any Faults can lead to Massive Damage
If the sprinkler system goes wrong due to any plumbing fault, the results can be disastrous. It can flood your house. These sprinkler systems have more water pressure as compared to ordinary plumbing. The location of the pipe is very crucial. The pipes may burst as a result of extremely cold weather.
- Require high Power
Usually, fire sprinklers require a high power supply.
- Unnecessary Activation
Apart from the high costs of maintenance, there is always a chance for the fire sprinkler system to fail as a result of any reason including frozen pipe. The sprinkler system may activate unnecessarily which might result in a lot of damage. A lot of water may be wasted. Moreover electronic devices in the house like computers, phones may be damaged due to excessive water exposure.
Conclusion:
Fire sprinkler installation has its pros and cons. You must know both the positive and negative consequences of their installation before you make a plan to install them. They may prove to be extremely beneficial in case of sudden fire breakdown. However the costs of their installation, maintenance and inspection might be troublesome. Nowadays fire sprinkler systems are designed to be more sophisticated and robust. There is still need for improvisation. You must consult an expert before you install it to get an insight of the possible damages. The plumbing should be done effectively and the pipes should be at an adequate temperature. Exposure of pipes to any extreme temperatures can result in damage. They also require a stable water supply from a reliable source to work properly. All necessary aspects should be considered before their fire sprinkler installation to benefit from them completely and avoid any damages.