subject: Fire Sprinkler Systems: A Brief History [print this page] Sprinkler systems are extremely important for suppressing interior fires. They should be present and functional in every building, which requires regular maintenance. Fire sprinklers have been used for a long time, and have really made businesses and residences much safer. You may be wondering how these systems originally came about. Below is a brief history of fire sprinkler systems and their origin.
Major Harrison of the United Kingdom was said to be the father of fire sprinklers, inventing them in 1864. The automatic fire sprinkler system was credited to the American, Henry Parmelee, when he developed them in 1874 to protect his piano factory.
More than a century has passed, and great progress has been made in the effectiveness of the fire sprinkler system. These systems are now extremely efficient - and pervasive: every year, more than 40 million of them are installed worldwide.
What exactly are fire sprinkler systems? How are they used? How do they work?
A sprinkler system is a network of water pipes that draws water from a source and disperses it through sprinklers to extinguish fires. Once the temperature in a space exceeds the allowable limit, the sprinklers activate. Sprinklers heads should be placed a specific distance apart according to regulations. The management of a building should also be sure that there is a steady and reliable water supply.
Fires can also occur in areas such as floor ducts, closed roof spaces and ceilings, which is why fire sprinkler heads should be installed in these areas. Houses and industrial buildings, such as those with big warehouses, often use these systems.
Why are these sprinklers necessary? Why are they useful? When fires occur, sprinkler systems greatly reduce damage to property and incidence of fatality. In addition, they drastically minimize the risk of losing the entire structure altogether.
In the '90s, the ESFR sprinkler, or simply, the ESFR, was designed to fight major fire cases. Before the arrival of these systems, other fire protection systems had been devised to put out flames, but the ESFR puts them out twice as fast.
Fire sprinkler systems are no longer just luxuries, they are must-haves for residential and commercial buildings. Consult your local fire service provider to learn which sprinkler systems will work best for your building.
Customers can turn to Affordable Fire for residential and commercial fire systems and services in Arizona. Call (480) 507-2850 to learn more about the company.
