Benefits of fire sprinklers

If you own or operate a commercial building, then the safety of the property and its occupants is of paramount importance. When you consider that there are over 100 commercial building fires in the UK every day, getting appropriate fire protection systems in place before the worst happens is an essential.

There are various methods of protecting a building from fire, with the most common being a combination of fire extinguishers and smoke alarms. So what are some of the advantages of installing a fire sprinkler system?

Stop fires before they damage the property

Fire sprinkler systems are heat activated, meaning that as soon as a blaze begins to take hold the sprinklers are instantly switched on to extinguish the flames. The speed with which sprinkler systems are able to deal with a fire ensures that property damage is minimal.

Don’t wait for the Fire Brigade

Whether an alarm system automatically notifies the Fire Brigade or merely sounds an alarm for the occupants to then dial 999, there is a wait until the emergency services can attend; losing precious time and allowing the fire to take hold.

A fire sprinkler system gets to work fighting the blaze immediately and is more effective than the Fire Brigade when they do arrive; fires in buildings with sprinkler systems have usually been suppressed before the firemen arrive.

Best protection available

Fire sprinklers are proven to be more effective at protecting buildings than fire extinguishers and smoke alarms. Sprinklers don’t rely on people being on-hand to operate extinguishers or knowing what to do; people can focus on evacuating the building while the fire is automatically put out.

Insurance savings

Buildings protected by a dedicated fire sprinkler are inherently safer and therefore qualify for reductions in insurance premiums. Check with your insurer to see how much you could save on your building and contents insurance.

Affordability

Sprinklers are a surprisingly affordable fire protection option, often costing no more than getting new carpets fitted. The longevity of the systems, combined with their low maintenance when compared with changing and testing multiple fire extinguishers and alarms every year, makes fire sprinklers a cost-effective option.

Individual sprinkler activation

Many people worry about entire buildings getting a soaking when a small fire is detected somewhere. This is a myth often spread by Hollywood films – individually activated sprinkler heads mean that only the area where the fire is detected will be extinguished; the rest of the building will remain perfectly dry.

Unobtrusive

Powder coated sprinkler heads blend in with your building’s paint scheme so that they are almost unnoticeable until they are needed.