How Fire Sprinklers Work And When Do They Need Repair

Whether what you own is a residential or commercial property, it is your responsibility to equip it with proper fire protection devices. And one of the things you can do is installing a fire sprinkler system.

Fire sprinklers don’t only protect your belongings, they ultimately help save lives. This is why if you have these kinds of equipment, you also need to ensure they’re properly maintained and subjected to regular Westminster sprinkler repair and inspection.

How Do They Work

There are many misconceptions about fire sprinkles. The most popular of which is that all sprinkler heads will be activated once a fire is detected, damaging other properties that aren’t actually being engulfed by fire.

In this section, we will clarify such issues by discussing how fire sprinklers work.

A fire sprinkler system is composed of sprinkler heads with glass bulbs that contain liquid (glycerin-based), a series of pipes, valves, and motorized alarm bells. It detects fire not by smoke, but by temperature. If the room temperature reaches 135-155 degrees Fahrenheit, the liquid inside the bulbs will expand, causing the bulbs to break and activate the system.

If you have a wet pipe system, the water stored in the pipes will be released immediately. If it’s a dry pipe system, the water needs to be released first from a valve before flowing through the pipes and coming out of the activated sprinkler head. However, whether it’s a wet pipe or a dry pipe system, pressurized air is used to deliver water more quickly and efficiently.

Take note that the sprinkler head closest to the fire will the only one that’ll be activated.

When Do They Need Repair

While fire sprinklers are certainly of great help, they aren’t exempted from getting damaged — either through natural wear and tear or through improper maintenance. When you notice the following signs, it’s high time to call for professional Westminster sprinkler repair services:

Corrosion

As your system uses water, your fire sprinkler system will naturally deteriorate and corrosion can occur over time. When not fixed, this will bring damage to your pipe and cause them to leak. If you’re still aren’t familiar with corrosion, it’s typically indicated by the presence of rust, rotten egg-like smell, and water discoloration.

Damaged parts

When you do a home renovation or construction project, your sprinkler system can get accidentally damaged. It can incur cracks and dents. Parts and other features can go missing. These issues can cause your system to not fully deliver its capacities once a fire emergency breaks out.

Leakage

Apart from corrosion, damaged parts and defects can also lead to leakage. Other causes include sprinkler heads that aren’t properly installed and overly tight fittings. In other instances, it’s simply attributed to insufficient maintenance. Once you see water leaking, call for a repair professional immediately.

By relying on Westminster sprinkler repair experts, you’ll be guaranteed that your sprinkler system will be thoroughly checked and fixed. In any case, any underlying issues can also be brought to light and ultimately help your fire protection system to perform more effectively.

For Westminster sprinkler repair, only trust a reputable team that gets the job done. We’ve been doing it since 1978, contact us today at WFX!