Frequently Asked Questions
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Why are sprinklers important for life safety?
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How can we be sure sprinklers will work in a fire?
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What about water damage?
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What about smoke?
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What is the life safety record for sprinklers?
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Aren’t sprinklers unsightly?
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Don’t all the heads go off at once? I’m sure I’ve seen this happening on tv!
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Surely sprinklers create more water damage than the fire and rescue service?
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If sprinklers false alarm, won’t they create a lot of damage?
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How do sprinkler heads work?
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I want to install sprinklers in a new building but I have been advised that the water supply from the local mains is inadequate. Can I still install a sprinkler system?
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What standards do I need to comply with when designing or installing sprinkler systems?
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Does the installation of sprinklers permit ‘tradeoffs’ in respect of requirements regarding escape routes and passive fire protection measures?
Surely sprinklers create more water damage than the fire and rescue service?
Absolutely not: a sprinkler head discharges between 35 - 100 litres per minute (depending on the design of the system). The discharge will begin around 10 - 30 seconds after the fire produces enough heat to operate the first sprinkler head. The Fire & Rescue Service, however efficient and effective, is unlikely to reach the premises involved in less than four minutes and unlikely to get to the seat of the fire for five - ten minutes after they have been called. The Fire & Rescue Service fire hose can deliver 1000 – 3000 litres per minute on what will inevitably have become a much larger fire.