Fire sprinkler systems provide a valuable service when there’s a fire in your home or building. These systems help stop fires from spreading and limit damage from smoke and flames. However, these systems can also lead to water damage if they accidentally go off due to damage or a malfunction. It’s important to know how to turn off a fire sprinkler system in order to prevent severe damage. Find out how to get these systems to stop running, including with the use of a sprinkler head shutoff tool.
What Activates Fire Sprinkler Systems?
Temperatures that are hot enough due to a fire will trigger a fire sprinkler system. However, other conditions can also cause sprinkler heads to activate. They might do so if the sprinklers are too close to heat sources, such as heaters, or if the pipes connected to them freeze and burst in cold weather. Fire sprinkler systems can also activate due to mechanical damage, such as having loose components or missing parts.
Turning Off the Entire System
One option you have is to turn off the entire system by cutting off the water supply. In a residential building, this might mean finding and turning off the main water control valve. This stops water from flowing into your home entirely, not just the sprinkler system. If you have a fire sprinkler system with a shutoff valve on the pipe that brings water to this system, you can turn off this valve. Doing so should stop water from flowing out of the sprinkler heads without shutting water off to other areas of your home.
Turning Off Individual Sprinkler Heads
Having the ability to quickly turn off an individual sprinkler head can come in handy, especially in larger commercial buildings where it might take too long to locate the main water control valve. In certain buildings, it might be unsafe to shut off the entire water supply at once. With a sprinkler head shutoff tool, you can easily turn off a sprinkler that has been triggered. This provides you with a fast and convenient way to shut off fire sprinkler system heads without having to worry about turning off the water supply for the whole building. Being able to immediately turn off a sprinkler head helps reduce the risk of significant water damage in that part of the building.
Preventing Accidental Activation
Having your fire sprinkler system routinely inspected and maintained can help lower the risk of it activating by accident. These routine inspections help ensure that your sprinkler system is in good condition and functions properly. Keep in mind that having a sprinkler head shutoff tool available is still important even if you have routine inspections and maintenance.
Contact Us for Sprinkler Head Shutoff Tool Information
If you’re interested in learning more about how a sprinkler head shutoff tool works, please contact Shutgun today. We can provide you with detailed information on these tools and help you get one for your building.