How Are Sprinkler Systems Designed?
When it comes to fire protection in your property, automatic fire sprinkler systems are the best choice for saving lives and keeping the damage to your property to a minimum. Having sprinklers or water mist systems installed into your building takes more than simply picking a design and having them fitted; you need to consider the very best sprinkler system and heads for the type of property you own. The wrong system or head spacings can make your sprinklers ineffective and can have significant consequences.
There are a number of systems available but broadly speaking, hydraulic systems fall into three types which include conventional sprinkler systems, low-pressure mist systems and high-pressure mist sprinkler systems; these are becoming particularly popular in residential situations due to their lower water requirement.
By turning to experts who can analyse your building you can have the very best fire sprinkler system installed to protect all inhabitants as well as your property. Factors such as your water pressure and supply, as well as any hazards that may affect the sprinkler’s effectiveness, need to be considered before being installed, so it is vital that you turn to a qualified professional to install your fire protection system…
Determining the Best Fire Sprinkler System for your Building
Fire sprinkler design is an intricate, detailed process that needs care and attention. With years of experience under their belt, your qualified professionals will know exactly which sprinklers will operate the most efficiently by identifying the type of building you own. The architecture of your property plays a huge role in deciding the best fire sprinkler system, so whether you need fire safety for your home or your industrial workplace, the type of sprinklers you need will differ.
Modern and traditional sprinkler systems follow certain regulations depending on the property they are installed into. It also needs to be decided whether the building needs a wet, dry or reaction sprinkler system. However, most buildings will need a wet pipe system, which indicates that as soon as a fire is detected, water will flow as the pipes are always full.
Identifying the Water Supply
One of the first factors that will be checked is whether your property has the appropriate water supply to support a fire sprinkler system. Properties need a reliable water supply with good, available flow and dynamic pressure so that sprinklers can be connected directly to the mains water supply. If this is not the case, then a storage-based system will have to be considered. As long as your property has the right water supply or storage space to support sprinklers, there should be no problem.
What Hazards are Present?
If you need sprinklers for a large warehouse or industrial building, there are usually more hazards present than in the average home. With this in mind, how big the system needs to be and how much water supply is needed can influence the design. These occupancy hazards, alongside the design of the property and the water density, are all considered when choosing the fire sprinkler or mist system for your property.
If your property has any structural issues or has anything installed that could affect the efficient operation of your sprinkler system, this will need to be considered before any design or installation takes place. Your sprinklers need to save lives as well as keep fire and water damage to a minimum, so anything that could affect this needs to be resolved.
Picking the Pipes and Sprinkler Heads
Finally, sprinkler designers need to plan the placement of the sprinkler heads in order to provide full coverage of your space. Depending on the size and type of building you need the sprinkler to work in, you need to determine the very best type of sprinkler heads, which you can read more about in our previous article here. Designers will produce drawings that will indicate sprinkler head positions for optimum coverage and where aesthetics are crucial, will co-ordinate the sprinkler positions with the reflected lighting positions.
Here at RAD Fire Sprinklers, we will always work to design and install the very best fire sprinkler system for your home or work property, ensuring the safety of you, your inhabitants and your property. To find out more, you can fill out our online form here, and we’ll be in touch promptly.
