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Fire Sprinklers

Fire Sprinklers: Who Invented Them?

Fire sprinklers are mandatory in some situations. Today, you would feel immediately uneasy if you entered a building without a fire sprinkler system in place. They have saved countless lives over the years and remain doing so to this very day. Given how important they are, it is strange that as a society we don’t know much about them. Fear not, within this article we shall discuss their historical background and development.

Who Invented Fire Sprinklers?

It was not until the early 18th century, roughly 1723, that the first automated sprinkler system came into action. Ambrose Godfrey, a chemist, used gunpowder to release large quantities of water to extinguish the fires. This would then cause an explosion designed to release large quantities of liquid that would put the fire out. Although not the safest approach, it was still better than nothing at the time!

At the Theatre Royal in London, the first contemporary sprinkler system in the world was set up 100 years later. William Congreve, a British inventor, created this. This had a system that utilised an airtight reservoir with about 100 tonnes of water in it. This reservoir would supply water to a network of smaller pipes that had been punctured with holes in the event of a fire, resulting in a sprinkler effect. The emphasis shifted to automating Congreve’s design fifty years later. The main problem was that the system was not automatic, so starting in 1860, designers began developing designs that could turn on independently. But it took another 12 years before this was put into practice.

Fast forward to 1954, the design of fire sprinkler systems remained untouched. The focus was put on improving fire safety as a whole. Up until the year 2000, fire sprinklers started to be installed more commonly in newly constructed buildings such as schools, hotels, and other public buildings. 13 years later, the installation of fire sprinklers became mandatory by law, meaning that every building had to have them. Following the tragic Grenfell Tower incident in 2017, efforts to improve fire safety have also recently increased, with new legislation ensuring that fire installation is required in newly constructed apartments.

RAD Fire Sprinklers

Our home fire sprinkler systems are installed in compliance with all applicable laws, including BS9251, and according to industry standards. Since 2001, the experts at RAD Fire Sprinklers have been installing home fire sprinklers. We have developed and honed all the skills necessary to ensure a skillful installation. For more information, or to receive a quote, fill in our form here. Or, give us a call on 01892 680 090.

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Very impressed with RAD Fire Sprinklers and all their staff are helpful and knowledgeable. They have serviced my sprinkler systems for 10 years now. Highly recommended.
Guy Orme
07:40 02 Sep 23
Brilliant company, Gadi and the team were always responsive, professional and very knowledgeable.It was our first time installing a mist system and we thought it might be tricky but they did it all completely hassle free.Will use again and would recommend.
Luis Garcia de Andoin
20:08 24 Aug 22
Mist system was a great solution for our renovation needs and them team at RAD have been great. Always communicated clearly and been on hand to discuss over the phone as needed. Would highly recommend!
David
09:32 17 Jul 22
I have used RAD for a couple of projects and found them to be good to deal with. They did a pair of 3 storey open plan houses and seven three and four story town houses. The sprinklers were to improve fire safety, allow more flexible space and comply with building regulations. The sprinklers were far more cost effective than the mist type systems and look very discrete when installed.
Paul Jeary
15:50 11 Jul 22
It has been a pleasure to deal with RAD for installation of fire sprinklers at our site is Sevenoaks. They were fast, professional, working to time and quote, which made it easy to work with them.
Katrina Horobin
12:03 29 Jun 22
My requirement was a bit unusual for RAD in that I wanted a mist system in one room of a rented house. I had no drawings or technical back up. RAD were very helpful and repositioned the unit after the initial installation. Luckily with the help of Sonny, the engineer it all worked out very well.
Simon Gurney
16:16 12 May 22
I have used RAD for the last 10 years for all of my housing developments in need of a sprinkler system. Easy process from start to finish and no issues or problems throughout. Always someone at hand to answer a querie and we have a great working relationship with the team at RAD. Would highly recommend.
Roxy
15:33 12 May 22
Diligent & a very professional team. A joy to deal with. Will certainly be calling on them to help with many more future schemes.
Jason Tema
22:17 08 Jul 19
Great team, fitting sprinklers, saving lives & property... What more could you wish for!!!
Colin P
17:53 01 Jul 17
Excellent company & great service... This company rocks! They sprinkle fires & save lives!!!
Music N Videoz
07:15 16 Dec 16
As somebody who feels that it should be a necessity for all properties to have fire sprinkler systems, I am a big fan of this company. I have used them numerous times to service my home system and they are very knowledgeable. I would highly recommend their service.
Kate Fraser
09:25 30 Mar 15
One look at Rad Fire Sprinkler's website will tell you that these guys know exactly what they are talking about when it comes to Fire Sprinklers and the legislation surrounding fire safety. A very trustworthy company.
Adam Hudson
16:45 15 Nov 13

Our Services Cover London and the South East

RAD Fire Sprinklers Map

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RAD Fire Sprinklers Ltd.
58A St John’s Road
Tunbridge Wells, TN4 9NY

Mon – Fri: 8AM – 5PM

Tel: 01892 680 090

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