Just as it is for any other type of building, fire safety is critical for high-rise buildings. Whether you are focusing on a multi-purpose office tower or a high-rise residential building, like an apartment, hotel, or condominium building, installing a fire sprinkler system that is specifically designed for that type of structure is essential.
A high-rise sprinkler system can save lives and protect property by preventing the spread of fires. This comprehensive guide will explore the inner workings of high-rise sprinkler systems, including their designs, significance, and various applications.
On top of that, we’ll even highlight the Shutgun – an effective and affordable fire sprinkler head shut-off tool that can save property owners potentially hundreds of thousands of dollars in water damage.
So, let’s get started.
How Do High-Rise Fire Sprinkler Systems Work?
High-rise fire sprinkler systems operate on a relatively simple principle: water is expelled in all directions from specialized sprinkler heads when triggered by temperatures that indicate the presence of a fire. Most systems can also be triggered manually.
Water is transported to the sprinklers through a network of interconnected pipes fed from a reliable water source. In most cases, the water is pressurized, ensuring rapid water delivery when the sprinklers are activated.
After the sprinkler has been triggered, it will continue to expel water, even after the heat source has been eliminated. This helps contain the fire, prevents it from spreading, and gives building occupants the time to evacuate safely.
Since fire sprinklers will continue to spray water even after the fire has been extinguished, they can cause tremendous amounts of water damage. In fact, a single sprinkler can release 60 gallons of water per minute, quickly adding up to tens of thousands of dollars in water damage.
This is why a fire sprinkler shut-off tool, like the hand-held Shutgun, is essential. We recommend positioning a Shutgun fire sprinkler shut-off tool to protect your building near every fire extinguisher.
This will ensure that you are not scrambling to find one in an emergency or waiting for first responders to deactivate your fire sprinklers. Building a Custom Shutgun Case gives you the correct number and types of tools for your exact requirements.
High Rise Sprinkler Design Variations
While they all follow the same basic principles, several design variations exist for high-rise fire sprinkler systems. Each is tailored to the specific needs of different types of buildings and their unique safety requirements.
Property owners should remember that installing and maintaining the correct type of fire sprinkler system for your building is important for regulatory compliance and insurance reasons.
To ensure your building is safe and compliant with the requirements, you should familiarize yourself with the different high-rise sprinklers and sprinkler heads.
To help you choose the correct type, here are the most common designs:
1. Wet Pipe Fire Sprinkler Systems
These are the most common types of high-rise sprinkler systems. The water pipes that supply the fire sprinklers are always filled with pressurized water. When a fire sprinkler head is activated, water is released almost immediately.
You will find these fire sprinkler systems in most high-rise buildings, as they are the safest. Their near instantaneous ability to release water can extinguish a fire much faster, so it has less time to spread and threaten the lives of the building occupants, as well as the structural integrity of the building itself.
Unfortunately, these systems are also more prone to misfires and accidental discharges. If your building has this type of system, you will want to invest in enough Shutgun tools to make sure that one is accessible on every floor of the building. We also recommend investing in Shutgun Wall Mounts and Laminated Instruction Cards.
2. Dry Pipe Fire Sprinklers
A dry pipe design will be used in high-rise buildings where temperatures can drop below freezing. As the name suggests, the pipes do not contain water until the sprinkler heads are activated.
When this occurs, water is released. The air pressure in the pipe is immediately released, which forces water to flow through the pipes and out through the sprinkler heads.
While these are far less common in high-rise buildings, they can be used in buildings that have cold storage facilities.
3. Pre-Action Fire Sprinkler Systems
These system designs use a combination of wet and dry pipes. An automated valve holds back water. When the system detects smoke or heat, the valve releases water, which floods the pipes and allows the sprinkler heads to expel water.
4. Deluge Sprinkler Systems
These systems discharge vast volumes of water from all sprinkler heads at the same time. These are more common in high-rise buildings that are filled with highly flammable materials, as well as those that are located dangerously close to other buildings that do.
As expected, systems designed this way pose a greater water damage risk. This is why it is important to invest in an appropriate number of Shutgun tools.
Different Types of Sprinkler Head Designs
Beyond the fact that high-rise buildings can feature different system designs, they can also be outfitted with different types of specialized sprinkler heads. As we will also explain, each type of sprinkler head can require its own shut-off tool, so we offer different types of Shutguns.
The following are just some of the different types you are likely to encounter as a high-rise property owner:
Standard Spray Heads
The most common type of sprinkler head is designed to spray water in a pattern that covers a wide area and is suitable for dealing with most fires. They are activated when a temperature-sensitive fusible link melts due to excess heat.
Sheared Heads
These are designed to activate when temperatures are hot enough to cause the built-in trigger mechanism to shear off. When this happens, water is released. While they function the same as standard heads, they need to be deactivated in a specific way, which is why you will need to invest in Sheared Head Shutgun tools.
Concealed Sprinkler Heads
Concealed heads are recessed into the ceiling or wall, which has a more aesthetically pleasing appearance than other types of sprinkler heads. These tend to be used in more upscale offices, hotels, and high-rise condominium buildings.
Due to their unique design, these also need specialized shut-off tools, so we carry the Concealed Head Shutgun.
Institutional Sprinkler Heads
These are used in hospitals and other institutional settings. They have a unique tamper-resistant covering. They also tend to be made from materials with enhanced corrosion resistance that can handle the unique requirements of the buildings where they are installed.
Like the other heads, these cannot be deactivated with a standard Shutgun, so you will need to choose the Institutional Head Shutgun. They are engineered to handle the unique characteristics of institutional sprinkler heads, including pendant head sprinklers and sidewall sprinkler heads.