Facts You Should Know About Residential Fire Sprinklers

Fire Sprinklers are by far the most efficient and effective safety devices known to man, having a better than 99% success rate in service world-wide.
 

Smoke detectors can only warn of fire and depend on someone calling the Fire Brigade. Fire Sprinklers not only warn of fire they also act immediately to extinguish the fire - even if no one is present.
 

Over 50% of all fire casualties are either young or old, or physically or mentally incapacitated and cannot properly help themselves. Fire Sprinklers, even if they do not succeed in putting out the fire, will at the very least raise the alarm and greatly extend the time available for escape or rescue.
 

Fire in the home is responsible for over 75% of all fire- related deaths and injuries in the UK. Every day 2 people die and 50 are injured in fires in the UK. Your chance of experiencing a serious fire in your lifetime is around 1 in 5.
 

Residential Fire Sprinklers are NOT expensive; normally costing less than 1% of the cost of a new house. This is similar to the cost of fitted carpets - but unlike carpets, sprinklers are designed to last at least 50 years . Another way to look at the cost is that it is similar to just one month's residential care. Even so - can you put a value on a life?
 

Fire Sprinklers are very reliable. Records show that the chance of accidental operation in service is 1: 16,000,000 (one in sixteen million). Less than your chance of winning the Lottery.
 

Houses which suffer major fires are seldom able to be lived in afterwards and are often demolished. In contrast rooms protected by residential fire sprinklers can often be back in use within a few hours, and the rest of the house is usually unaffected.
 

Each sprinkler is individually triggered directly by the heat of a fire, and the system will have gained control of the fire long before the Fire Brigade is even notified. Only the sprinkler directly affected by the fire goes off (NOT all of them), typically using only 10 gal/ min of water to control the fire.
 

Sprinklers use very much LESS water than the Fire Brigade. Because the sprinkler tackles the fire
 

Modern Residential Sprinklers are small, neat and unobtrusive and visitors are seldom able to spot them - indeed concealed versions are now available. They all come in a variety of finishes and colours and can be made to match any decor.

Environmentally friendly Sprinklers help to protect the environment by controlling a fire in its early stages, preventing airborne and water run-off pollution.

Sprinklers save water Statistics show that widespread use of sprinklers could save up to 96% of the 5.6 billion litres of water used annually in the UK to fight large fires. This is equivalent to three months supply of water for the entire population of a city the size of Leeds.

Building design flexibility Sprinklers can save on building costs because under Building Regulations larger compartment sizes may be constructed. Reduced boundary and extended distances to fire exists are also permitted.

Legal protection Owner/occupiers/employers can be held legally responsible for the consequences of a fire if adequate fire precautions have not been taken. Sprinklers protect the lives of firefighters and are fully supported by fire services.

Easy to install Sprinkler systems can be fitted into existing buildings. One company installed sprinklers into a major London Hotel whilst the hotel was over 95% occupied.

Reliability Sprinkler systems have been proven in use for well over 100 years, during which time they have a 99% success rate worldwide. Systems over 100 years old are still in full working order today.

Popularity There are 40 million sprinklers fitted worldwide each year.

Life safety record In the UK there has never been a fire death in a building with a fully maintained sprinkler system.

Sprinklers save money Losses from fires in buildings with sprinklers are estimated to be only one tenth of those in unprotected buildings.

Limited Water Damage Firefighters often use 20 times more water from hoses to do the same job as a sprinkler. In tackling the Windsor Castle fire 7 million litres of water was used.

Cost effective to install The cost of installing a sprinkler system is roughly equivalent to carpeting the same building. All the UK Royal Palaces could have sprinklers installed for the cost of the Windsor Castle fire.