Automatic sprinkler systems are a no brainer when it comes to commercial properties, but what about your home? Is it something that you’ve considered? Do you know the benefits? One of the biggest benefits is that it can save you up to 20% on your home owners insurance! The main benefit, though, is that sprinkler systems control the spread of a fire, that is what it is designed to do, which allows you and your family more time to evacuate the home. It’s an affordable option, especially when you consider that you could recoup your money in insurance savings.
There is a lot of false information going around about automatic sprinkler systems, though, many of which could have changed your mind one way or another. So you should consider many of these common comments that have been made with regards to residential sprinkler systems fire protection in Toronto:
True or False?
Blowing out a candle, or burning dinner, will trigger the sprinkler system.
False. It isn’t smoke that triggers the sprinkler system, it is heat so the only thing that can generate enough heat to activate the system is a threatening fire.
Every sprinkler will go off throughout the house when a fire starts.
False. Again, it is heat that causes the sprinklers to activate, so the sprinkler that is located closest to the fire will go off. That is generally enough to prevent the fire from spreading further. In fact, up to 90% of fires are put out by just one sprinkler head.
They might just set themselves off by accident.
False. You are far more likely to have an accident with home plumbing systems. A defect is rare, in fact… the chances are about 1 in 16 million. Whereas, there is a 1 in 4 chance that you will be involved in a reported house fire during your lifetime.
A bit of smoke/fire damage is sure easier to deal with than all of the water damage.
False. This is said by people who forget that firefighters put out fires using a hose that pumps up to 250 gallons of water per minute. The automatic sprinkler system uses up to 25 gallons per minute. It also operates early in the fire which should prevent spreading, thus further damage.
The Benefits of Sprinklers
While smoke alarms are great at alerting the inhabitants of homes of a fire, what they can’t do is extinguish that fire. Sprinklers can, and they can do it quickly.
The sprinkler generally activates within 60 seconds; no firefighter can arrive that quickly. Without sprinklers the fire will grow and spread while the firefighters are in transit. This also increases the risk to residents, as well as property damage.
Remember that stat about how much water flows from the firefighter’s hoses in a minute? Well, with the average residential fire that hose will expel almost 3,000 gallons of water, however sprinklers used under 350 gallons.
If you’re worried about the aesthetics of having sprinklers throughout your home you don’t need to worry, especially if you’re having a new home built. You can choose from a variety of finishes and some can even be concealed by ceiling pendants of plates.
Every week in Canada 8 people will die in a fire, and 73% of those fires are residential. This can be prevented by installing an automatic sprinkler system in your home. Businesses do this to protect their assets and increase safety, so surely it makes sense for you to do the same in your home?
