Two Major Residential Fire Sprinkler System Types

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All residential fire sprinkler systems fall into two major categories: standalone and multipurpose, regardless of their design and component options.

Standalone residential fire sprinkler system

Standalone fire sprinkler systems are not connected to piping used in the home’s plumbing system; they use a separate network of piping. Both systems (standalone sprinkler and plumbing) can draw from the same water supply, or a standalone system can draw from its own supply, for example a dedicated water tank. If a standalone fire sprinkler system uses the household water main, there will be a connection called a riser (T connection), that feeds the sprinkler system.

These systems have a wider variety of parts and materials compared to multipurpose sprinkler systems, including metallic piping options and extra safety or testing components. They have some distinct advantages in certain scenarios, such as working well in areas without a sufficiently pressurized water supply but tend to have more complex installation and maintenance.

Multipurpose fire sprinkler systems

Multipurpose fire sprinkler systems are integrated directly with the home’s plumbing system. The sprinklers are fed by the same water source and cold-water plumbing pipes that service other fixtures in the home. The installation costs and complexity tend to be less with multipurpose systems because they use the same pipes and fewer fittings and connections. In addition, they require less maintenance and they are arguably more reliable. Any issue will also likely impact the regular plumbing that is used every day, so a homeowner will usually know if a multipurpose system has a problem.

That said, this systems may not be an option for homeowners who are looking to retrofit sprinklers into their house, as these systems require carefully planned hydraulic calculations that account for water pressure, the diameter of piping needed to meet specific flow requirements,  the size of the system, etc.

How residential fire sprinkler systems work

All home fire sprinkler systems are designed to fulfill the same purpose, regardless of type.  NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) prioritized saving lives over property when creating the 13D standard; residential fire sprinklers are explicitly intended to give occupants time to escape from a home during a fire. According to guidelines, all home systems should have “a 10-minute stored water supply and an adequate local audible alarm”. In many cases, home fire sprinklers can completely control a fire.

Every system will have specific water flow and pressure specs to meet the 10-minute water demand, and these rely on a combination of factors:

To meet the 10-minute water demand as specified on the guidelines, every system will have specific water flow and pressure specs. These rely on a combination of factors:

1. The size (square footage and height) of your home, and the length of pipe and number of sprinkler heads that must be installed to provide minimum water coverage. Obviously, a larger, taller home will need a bigger system and thus have a higher cost.
2. The material and diameter of used pipes.
3. The water source, and whether it naturally provides enough pressure to meet flow requirements or it needs to be amplified by a pump.

Every sprinkler system is based on a network of piping.  The piping network runs vertically (within walls) and horizontally (within ceilings). Sprinkler heads will be joined to the pipe to deliver water from the ceilings and/or walls. Specialists must install enough sprinkler heads to completely cover necessary areas, with each one no less than 8 feet apart.

In-home sprinkler systems, the water that feeds the sprinklers is always in the network of pipes. Some versions of water sprinkler’s automatic technology have been in use since the 19th century because the way they work is simple, reliable and effective.

Residential sprinkler heads basically act like plugs in the network of piping that contains pressurized water (or air, in fewer cases). Each head has a trigger that is usually either a metal link that is soldered together or a glass tube filled with a heat-sensitive liquid.  When a fire starts, it will begin throwing off heat that moves toward the ceiling. Once the temperature around the sprinkler head reaches a certain point (usually 135°F to 170°F), the heat either causes the soldered link to melt or it causes the liquid to shatter the glass tube. This ‘breaks the seal’ on the plugin the piping and lets the water rush out. The water is then automatically fanned across the room when it hits the small wheel at the end of the sprinkler head.

This design is extremely simple, effective, and reliable. There are no computers, electricity, or other complex triggers involved in this design; just heat causing a mechanical response. This design avoids false alarms like the ones in some smoke detectors that limits the deployment of sprinklers to only the room or rooms that are on fire.