HOME FIRE SPRINKLER SYSTEM MYTHS & FACTS

• MYTH: Fire Sprinklers are designed to protect property, not save lives
• MYTH: Fire Sprinklers could ruin my house if they go off accidentally
• MYTH: When a fire occurs, ever sprinkler in the house will activate
• MYTH: A little fire or smoke damage is better than to have my whole house ruined by water damage if the sprinklers go off
• MYTH: Fire sprinklers are needed in a hotel or office building, but not in my home
• MYTH: Installing smoke alarm(s) in my house should be enough to protect my home
• MYTH: Small things like burning a piece of toast could trigger my sprinkler system and ruin my home.
• MYTH: Fire sprinklers won't look nice in my beautiful home
• MYTH: Fire sprinklers are expensive

MYTH: Fire Sprinklers are designed to protect property, not save lives

FACT: Residential fire sprinklers are classified as 'life-safety' devices. In the United States, uring the first 15 years after passing the first home sprinkler ordinance, the city of Scottsdale, Arizona, experienced no deaths in home fires where sprinklers were installed; however, 13 deaths occurred in home fires where there were no sprinklers. Statistically, home fire sprinkler systems limit property damage as well.

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MYTH: Fire Sprinklers could ruin my house if they go off accidentally

FACT: The chances that a sprinkler will accidentally discharge due to a manufacturing defect are exremely rare: 1 in 16 million. Overall, sprinkler accidents are generally less likely and less severe than accidents involving home plumbing systems.

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MYTH: When a fire occurs, ever sprinkler in the house will activate

FACT: By design, only the sprinkler closest to the fire will activate. Contrary to Hollywood movie scenes, all the sprinklers in a sprinkler system do not activate at once. When a fire sprinkler system activates, only the sprinkler that is closes to the fire discharges - and in 90% of cases, one sprinkler is sufficient to suppress a fire.

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MYTH: A little fire or smoke damage is better than to have my whole house ruined by water damage if the sprinklers go off

FACT: A home fire sprinkler uses only 50-100L of water per minute and operates early in a fire. A hose used by a firefighter flows about 10 times that amount, 500L a minute. If sprinklers are not present, fires can burn for an additiona 5-15 minutes until the fire brigade arrive. Two things happen to cause more damage than sprinklers. First, more of your possessions have been exposed to fire and smoke before the fire bridge intervene, and when the brigade attempt to suppress the fire, you have 10 times more water being applied to what possessions are remaining.

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MYTH: Fire sprinklers are needed in a hotel or office building, but not in my home

FACT: Actually, you are at a much greater resk of being injured or killed in a home fire than in a hotel fire. In fact, on average, in the United States, 80% of all fire deaths occur where most people feel the safest - in their own home.

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MYTH: Installing smoke alarm(s) in my house should be enough to protect my home

FACT: Smoke alarms are excellent at detecting smoke and alerting homeowners, and they should be installed in every home. But they are limited in their fire safety effectiveness as they provide only a warning of a potential fire; what they cannot do is suppress a fire. That's where sprinkler systems excel; they immediately and effectively suppress a fire in its early stages, before it ccan become larger and more dangerous.

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MYTH: Small things like burning a piece of toast could trigger my sprinkler system and ruin my home.

FACT: Fire sprinklers are activated by high temperatures, not by smoke. Only a threatening fire can generate enough heat to operate a sprinkler. Residential sprinklers are designed to prevent flashover (full room involvement) to allow occupants to evactuate. Burning toast and smoking cigarettes will not trigger a fire sprinkler; onl the smoke detector will.

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MYTH: Fire sprinklers won't look nice in my beautiful home

FACT: Actually, most fire sprinklers are so small and unobtrusive, that you won't notice them unless you are looking hard for them. Home Sprinklers come in a wide range of colours and styles, ensuring that they will blend aesthetically with any home decor.

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MYTH: Fire sprinklers are expensive

FACT: The cost of installing a fire sprinkler system can be around $1000 to $1500 and is roughly 0.5% to 1.5% of the total cost of building a new home. For less than the cost of other popular new home upgrades, a potentially life-saving sprinkler system can offer peace-of-mind and protect your family for many years to come.

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