Make Sure Your Fire Sprinklers Are in Working Order

2/14/2018 (Permalink)

A fire sprinkler is a great way to protect your property and the lives of the building’s occupants against fire. When installed correctly, they do a phenomenal job at controlling the spread of fire. Many state codes require some kind of fire suppression system.

How They Work

Sprinkler heads are designed to work independently. Activating one won’t activate them all. They are designed to work when there is enough heat to melt the fusible link. The fusible link is typically a small piece of metal or a glass bulb. The point is to control the fire until the fire department can arrive. Typically, the activation of one or two fire sprinklers is enough. This means less fire sprinkler cleanup later.

Maintenance

Maintaining the sprinklers is vital. Control valves need to be visually inspected occasionally to make sure they are locked in the wide-open position. Sometimes the valve gets shut during repairs or maintenance on the system.

When they are being shut off for maintenance or repairs:

• Place a tag on the shut control valve
• Notify the fire department
• Notify the insurance companies
• Avoid ignition sources in the area

When a fire sprinkler is shut off, maintenance should be done on it immediately. Get them back up and running as quickly as possible.

Inspection

Sprinklers need to be inspected and tested on a regular basis to meets regulations. Some municipalities require an inspection to be done by a certified specialist. Physical inspections may vary depending on the specific system. In general, unsupervised valves should be visually checked weekly and locked or supervised valves should be visually checked monthly.

A fire sprinkler system is a great safety feature to have in your office. It can greatly reduce fire damage and may save lives. It needs to be maintained and inspected on a regular basis, so when an emergency does occur, it is able to do its job. Specialists in Albany, Tennessee, can install the necessary system for your building.

Visit us at http://www.SERVPROgreenecounty.com for more commercial fire information.