Do Fire Sprinklers Ever Discharge Accidentally?

5/13/2020 (Permalink)

Many businesses in Fairless Hills, PA, are required by law to maintain a functioning fire sprinkler system. When installed correctly and properly maintained, they are proven to save lives and property damage. However, some business owners are very hesitant about installing them, as they worry about water damage from an accidental discharge.
This is statistically a myth – your odds of being struck by lightning are over 5,000 times greater during your lifetime than the odds of any single sprinkler head accidentally being activated.

What Causes Accidental Discharges?

While accidental activation is rare, it does happen. There are four causes that are recognized as being most likely:

• Overheating
• Damage to the sprinkler head
• Sabotage
• Poor maintenance and corrosion

Each sprinkler head is held closed by a usually metal tab that’s designed to melt at a very narrow range of temperatures. If it’s subject to heat, either from an unusual event or bad placement near a heat source, it can be activated and cause localized flooding.
Fire sprinklers can also be damaged by careless employees or items falling from overhead. Unfortunately, even more common (but still very rare statistically) than accidental damage is employee sabotage. There have also been cases of bored employees “investigating” how the sprinklers work, causing their activation.
Fire sprinklers are designed to last for decades, but they do require some simple annual maintenance. In most cases, this must be done by a licensed fire sprinkler system inspector. You’re also required to keep some extra sprinkler system heads on-premises, and you should visually inspect them yourself a few times each year.

What Should You Do if You Get Water Damage From an Accidental Discharge?
The good news is that, since each sprinkler head activates individually, the flooding will usually be limited to a small area. Shut off the water to the system immediately and call a licensed water damage restoration specialist to inspect the damage as soon as possible. They will determine if the water has gotten behind the walls and bring in professional drying equipment to remove excess humidity, so it’s important to contact them immediately after you’ve had flooding.