Will the domestic water line be sufficient for my sprinkler system?
Your domestic water supply line feeds into your restroom faucets and drinking fountains. Hopefully the pressure coming out of your faucet is more than a trickle, but it’s probably not packing the punch needed to accommodate your fire sprinkler system. When a sprinkler system is activated, it has to be able to deliver a minimum number of gallons of water per minute to control or suppress the fire. Between 10 and 100 gallons/minute is a common discharge rate for a… continue»
How Sprinkler Heads Work: Debunking 2 common misconceptions
It happens all the time in the movies. A little smoke leads to hundreds of sprinkler heads spraying water all over a building, drenching every person and piece of furniture and equipment in sight. Don’t believe everything you see in the movies. There is a common misconception that if one sprinkler head is activated, all of the heads will be activated. But that simply isn’t true. Neither is the idea that smoke can trigger a sprinkler head. Each head is… continue»
When can installation begin on my new sprinkler system?
Before you can begin installation on your facility’s fire sprinkler system, you have to complete the design phase. The length of that stage can vary from a couple of days to a few weeks, and you don’t want it to hold up progress on getting your doors open to carry out your business. The ins and outs of design can be unpredictable, so it is in your best interest as a business owner to start the process as soon as… continue»
Fire Sprinkler System Design: 4 questions to ask now!
Costs related to sprinkler system design depend on a number of factors, several of which a building owner should know about before getting in too deep. Here are four questions to ask yourself before you begin a design project with your fire protection service provider to help you better manage and understand where the time and money are going. 1. Are existing drawings available? If a footprint in the form of blueprints or plans for your facility exists, be sure… continue»
How long does sprinkler system design take?
When we start a new design project with a client, timing is inevitably one of the first issues that comes up for discussion. People want to know how long the design of their sprinkler system or fire suppression system project will take so they can plan other things — like construction — accordingly. To be as straightforward as possible, how long a design will take really depends. Several factors affect how long a design project will take. During our initial… continue»
Top 5 reasons you may getting leaks in your sprinkler system piping
Leaks are the most common reason we at Brenneco Fire Protection get calls for repairs. You can’t always prevent them from happening, but often you can work and act smarter to keep them to a minimum in your facility. Here are the top 5 reasons you may be getting leaks in your sprinkler system piping. 1. Bad batch of pipe. When moisture and metal mix, corrosion happens. Every case is a little different due to water quality, temperature differences and… continue»
Can we do sprinkler inspections with no alarms?
No one wants to be stunned silly or at the least interrupted by a false alarm. We have jobs to do! Components of fire sprinkler systems are often tied into alarm systems that are an integral part of your comprehensive fire protection system. When our technicians are inspecting sprinkler systems, they are often asked if our inspection will set off an alarm. Depending on the facility, fire alarms may be an issue. We have to be sure the flow switch… continue»
City of Lafayette Wins Sprinky Award
Brenneco Fire Protection is proud to announce that the City of Lafayette is the second recipient of the company’s Sprinky Award. This quarterly award is bestowed on institutions or businesses that have gone above and beyond to safeguard their people and organization from the threat of a fire. Mike Roush is the Facilities Director for The City of Lafayette and proud to have his hard work and dedication to safety recognized. He started working for The City a little more… continue»
Can I add antifreeze to my fire sprinkler system?
You add antifreeze to your car’s radiator to prepare it for winter, but what about your fire sprinkler system? Freezing pipes are a common problem here in Indiana. If the water in your sprinkler system freezes, not only can it lead to leaking pipes, but it can also prevent the system from functioning properly in case of a fire. Clients often ask if adding antifreeze to their systems is a good idea. Antifreeze systems are useful in some cases. Typically, they are used in… continue»
Is the 5-year sprinkler system inspection necessary?
The key to having a functional fire sprinkler system that doesn’t surprise you with leaks or other issues is maintaining a regular inspection schedule. In addition to annual and any more frequent checks, this includes a five-year inspection. When the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) analyzed why sprinkler systems didn’t function properly, it found that 15 percent of the cases were related to lack of maintenance and 2 percent were due to damaged components. The five-year inspection is part of… continue»
