This article is about the device discharging the water. For the complete system, see fire sprinkler system.

A fire sprinkler or sprinkler head is the component of a fire sprinkler system that discharges water when the effects of a fire have been detected, such as when a predetermined temperature has been exceeded. Fire sprinklers are extensively used worldwide, with over 40 million sprinkler heads fitted each year. In buildings protected by fire sprinklers, over 99% of fires were controlled by fire sprinklers alone.[1][2]

In 1812, British inventor Sir William Congreve patented a manual sprinkler system using perforated pipes along the ceiling. When someone noticed a fire, a valve outside the building could be opened to send water through the pipes.[3]

A large furniture factory had repeatedly burned down, and Hiram Stevens Maxim was consulted on how to prevent a recurrence. As a result, Maxim invented the first automatic fire sprinkler. It would douse the areas that were on fire, and it would report the fire to the fire station. Maxim was unable to sell the idea elsewhere, but when the patent expired the idea was used.[4][5]

Henry S. Parmalee of New Haven, CT created and installed the first automatic fire sprinkler system in 1874, using solder that melted in a fire to plug holes in the otherwise open water pipes. At the time he was the president of Mathusek Piano Works. Parmelee invented his sprinkler system in response to exorbitantly high insurance rates. Parmelee patented his idea and had great success with it in the U.S. Parmelee called his invention the "automatic fire extinguisher".[6] He then traveled to Europe to demonstrate his method to stop a building fire before total destruction.

His invention did not get as much attention as he had planned. Most people could not afford to install a sprinkler system. Once Parmelee realized this, he turned his efforts on educating the insurance companies about his system. He talked about how the sprinkler system would reduce the loss ratio, thus saving money for the insurance companies. He knew that he could never succeed in obtaining contracts from the business owners to install his system unless he could ensure for them a reasonable return in the form of reduced premiums.

In this connection he was fortunate enough to enlist the sympathies of two men, who both had connections in the insurance industry. The first of these was Major Hesketh, who, in addition to being a cotton spinner in a large business in Bolton, was Chairman of the Bolton Cotton Trades Mutual Insurance Company. The Directors of this Company and more particularly its Secretary, the late Peter Kevan, took an interest in Parmelees early experiments, and eventually it was to Major Hesketh, its Chairman, that Parmelee owed his first order for the Sprinkler Installations which were installed in the Cotton Spinning Mills of John Stones & Company, at Astley Bridge, Bolton, to be followed soon afterwards by the Alexandra Mills belonging to Mr. John Butler of the same town.

Although he got a contract through his efforts, the Bolton Cotton Trades Mutual Insurance Company was not a very big company outside of its local area. Parmelee needed a wider influence. He found this influence in James North Lane, the Manager of the Mutual Fire Insurance Corporation of Manchester. This company was founded in 1870 by the Textile Manufacturers' Associations of Lancashire and Yorkshire as a protest against high insurance rates. They had a policy of encouraging risk management and more particularly the use of the most up-to-date and scientific apparatus for extinguishing fires. Even though he put tremendous effort and time into educating the masses on his sprinkler system, by 1883 only about 10 factories were protected by the Parmelee sprinkler.

Back in the US, Frederick Grinnell, who was manufacturing the Parmelee sprinkler, designed a newer and more effective version which became known as the Grinnell sprinkler. He increased sensitivity by removing the fusible joint from all contact with the water, and, by seating a valve in the center of a flexible diaphragm, he relieved the low-fusing soldered joint of the strain of water pressure. By this means the valve seat was forced against the valve by the water pressure, producing a self-closing action, so that the greater the water pressure, the tighter the valve. The flexible diaphragm had a further and most important function. It caused the valve and its seat to move outwards simultaneously until the solder joint was completely severed. Grinnell got a patent for his version of the sprinkler system. He also took his invention to Europe, where it was a much bigger success than the Parmelee version. Eventually, the Parmelee system was withdrawn, which left an open path for Grinnell and his invention.[7]

Fire sprinkler application and installation guidelines, and overall fire sprinkler system design guidelines, are provided by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 13, (NFPA) 13D, and (NFPA) 13R.

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Fire sprinkler - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

No one injured, residents displaced by water from sprinkler system

A fire started by a fallen candle at a retirement community in Troutdale injured no one but caused an estimated $50,000 in damage and displaced residents after the buildings sprinkler system turned on.

At 1:08 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 15, Gresham firefighters were dispatched to Cherry Park Plaza, a senior living facility at 1323 S.W. Cherry Park Road, said Alyssa Roupp, spokeswoman at the Gresham fire department.

According to the fire report, a tenant had lit a candle on a table in her room to cover up the smell of wet dog.

The woman then used her electronic wheelchair to go to the kitchen.

Upon her return, the scooter bumped the end table.

The candle fell and set fire to a scarf and other garments hanging on the door.

Smoke from the fire activated the units sprinkler system, and the fire was put out before six engines, a fire truck and the battalion chief responded to the scene.

The woman was not injured, Roupp said.

There was smoke damage in the room, and her scarf and garments were damaged.

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Candle starts fire at senior residence

Bernoulli #39;s principle and application
In this video, Bernoulli #39;s principle is described using house fire sprinkler system. We consider our systems to be each end of the fire sprinkler. We use you...

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Bernoulli's principle and application - Video

If you really want to keep your home and the people and property in it as safe as possible from fire, consider a residential sprinkler system.

According to the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA), a division of FEMA, fire sprinklers inside a home reduce the chance of fire death by 80 percent and cut the likelihood of property damage by 71 percent.

Industry experts and fire control and prevention pros say sprinklers are a good idea for all homes, whether new or existing, and should be used in combination with smoke detectors.

Across the United States, hundreds of municipalities as well as California and Maryland require that new residential construction include fire sprinklers. However, newly proposed mandates generally face strong opposition from home building organizations, in large part because they add to the cost and complexity of building. To find out if your locality mandates sprinklers, contact your state fire marshals office.

While interviewing consumers, highly rated sprinkler installers and experts on fire control and prevention, including the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), our research staff learned that many homeowners have misconceptions about home sprinkler systems:

Perception: Every sprinkler in the house will go off at once. The reality, experts say, is that only the heads that detect fire will activate. Usually, one head will extinguish a blaze before it spreads.

Perception: Sprinkler systems are unattractive. The reality, experts say, is that the heads stay flush against the wall or ceiling until deployed, so they dont greatly affect home aesthetics. A single sprinkler head can cover from 144 to 200 square feet.

According to the NFPA, the cost of a fire sprinkler system, installed, has dropped from an average $1.61 per square foot in 2008 to $1.35 in 2013. The association says the decline is due to government mandates, which increase the number of contractors doing the work. In some parts of California, according to the NFPA, the cost is less than $1 a square foot.

The actual price can vary widely by region. One Chicago-area homeowner, whose town of Libertyville, Ill., requires a fire sprinklers in new construction, paid about $12,000 to have a sprinkler system included in a home built in 2007.

The NFPA doesnt maintain statistics about installing sprinklers in existing homes. However, additional work to cut walls and update existing plumbing means the cost is likely higher than for new construction. One state fire marshal told our team that he retrofitted his 2,400-square-foot home with sprinklers for $3,500.

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Home fire sprinkler systems reduce chance of death by 80 percent

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Our Sprinkler systems are automatic and self-draining. This means they require very little maintenance to prepare for winter. CMG can install any available brand of Lawn Irrigation Parts, but we prefer Rain Bird or Hunter. Ask about our Rain/Freeze Sensors. They will automatically turn off your Sprinkler System if it is too wet or too cold to Irrigate your yard. The Rain/Freeze Sensor will turn the Sprinkler System back on again when it dries out or warms up!

Drainage Systems are a big part of our business. If you have standing water after a thunder-storm, give CMG a call. We utilize; French Drains, Surface Drains, Channel Drains, Basin Drains, Trench Drains, Basement Drains and Sump Pumps. We install a variety of Drains to solve a variety of Drainage Problems. If your sidewalk turns into a moat ofter a hard rain, or if your back yard looks like a pond after a thunder-storm, give CMG a call. Standing Water from Storm-Water Runoff causes deterioration and damage to concrete and cement. This causes cracks in sidewalks, driveways and foundations. CMG can diagnose your Drainage Problems and design a Drainage System that will fit your needs and protect your investment.

Sprinkler Repair is a necessary process for a Sprinkler System. Like owning a home or a car, a Sprinkler System requires repair and adjustment from time to time. CMG Repairs: Broken Sprinkler Heads, Leaking Sprinkler Pipes, Broken Sprinkler Valves, Back-Flow Valves, Sprinkler Controller/Clock Problems, just to name a few.

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CMG Sprinkler and Drain

The city of Napa wont be providing a water hookup to an Upvalley winery on Rutherford Road after City Councilman Scott Sedgley balked at the request, saying it would create a bad precedent for growth management.

Elizabeth Spencer Winery asked to be connected to the citys water system for fire suppression purposes. Its current hookup with the city of St. Helena doesnt have enough capacity to provide the water flow needed for a sprinkler system.

The City Council debated the request for more than an hour Tuesday, before a vote needing four-fifths of the council failed. City Councilwoman Juliana Inman recused herself from voting, and a motion to allow the hookup failed 3-1, with Sedgley dissenting.

The City Council then voted to rescind that motion, allowing the current application to stay active, so Elizabeth Spencer wont have to pay to submit a new request.

Elizabeth Spencers request could come back if Sedgley removed his opposition, Inman decided not to recuse herself, or the citys water policies changed.

Sedgley feared a setting a precedent by granting the request, saying other wineries in the unincorporated could follow suit in hooking up to the city system to fulfill a county requirement that they install sprinkler systems.

I see the city receiving more of these requests in the future, Sedgley said. Water is king. The industry is booming.

City staff didnt share Sedgleys viewpoint, asserting that Elizabeth Spencer already sits on a city water main running from Lake Hennessey, the citys main reservoir, into city limits.

Joy Eldredge, general manager of the citys Water Department, said that the winery will continue to use St. Helena water for domestic use, and would only connect with Napa water in the event of a fire, or to test its sprinkler system.

Beaulieu Vineyard and Inglenook have done a similar thing in the past 15 years, as has the Gordon Huether Studio + Gallery on Monticello Road and a vineyard near Big Ranch Road and Trancas Street, Eldredge said.

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Napa council denies winery water hookup

Fonterra is investigating damage to its Clandeboye plant near Timaru this morning after high winds lifted panels on a coolstore, setting off the sprinkler system.

Clandeboye operations manager Steve McKnight said the damage was estimated to cost ''a couple of hundred'' dollars.

''It's pretty much a very minor sort of thing that's gone on. The biggest thing was the product that got wet when the sprinkler went off.''

The store contained cheese at the time.

''We will be able to recover this product as the cheese is vacuum packed in a plastic liner and then boxed into cardboard. It is just the cardboard that got wet. The rest was protected.

"We have not been able to get into this part of the store yet as the wet floors make it dangerous for forklifts to work in there, so I don't know how much product was impacted.''

He said flashings were ripped off one of the coolstores and several cladding panels were loosened, although they did not come off.

The panel triggered the sprinkler system in the coolstore, setting off one or two sprinklers, he said.

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Winds damage Fonterra coolstore at Clandeboye

Fire crews on scene at Fargo High Rise

The Fargo Fire Department responds to call about a major water leak at the Fargo High Rise at 101 2nd St. S. in Fargo Tuesday, Dec.17, 2013. David Samson / The Forum

FARGO Fire officials say an unattended candle started a blaze Tuesday night in a downtown apartment building, setting off the sprinkler system and causing significant water damage to much of the structure.

Shortly after 9 p.m., fire alarms went off at the Fargo High Rise, a 22-story complex at 101 2nd St. S. The Fargo Fire Department arrived to find water running down the east side of the building starting at the 15th floor, fire officials said.

Firefighters learned that the sprinklers had extinguished a fire on the 15th floor in apartment 1511. Inside the unit, they found the woman who lived there. She was not injured, fire officials said.

The woman told fire investigators that she had lit a candle in a bedroom and then went into another room. She later discovered a pillow and bedspread were on fire, and she tried unsuccessfully to extinguish the flames.

The blaze, which caused minor fire and smoke damage, was contained to the woman's apartment, but it activated the sprinkler system, which caused significant water damage to the apartment and the first 15 floors, fire officials said.

The fire led many residents to evacuate the building. Early Wednesday, authorities were still determining how many tenants would be displaced by the water damage.

The Fargo High Rise with 249 one-bedroom units was built in 1971 and is considered one of Fargos tallest residential buildings. An estimated cost of the damage was not available early Wednesday.

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Fargo High Rise water-damaged after candle starts fire

Fargo High Rise

The Fargo Fire Department responds to call about a major water leak at the Fargo High Rise at 101 2nd St. S. in Fargo Tuesday, Dec.17, 2013. David Samson / The Forum

FARGO Some residents of the Fargo High Rise were forced to evacuate Tuesday night after a fire in a 15th floor unit set off the buildings sprinkler system, causing significant water damage throughout the complex.

Crews were called about 9:30 p.m. to the apartment fire at 101 2nd St. S.

Assistant Fire Chief Gary Lorenz said the fire was contained to the apartment, but it activated the buildings sprinkler system.

Weve got water running down 15 floors, Lorenz said Tuesday night.

As of 10:30 p.m., the fire which appeared to have started in a bed was extinguished, but four fire crews were still on scene to determine the extent of the water damage and which apartments would need to be temporarily evacuated.

We dont know how many people will be displaced for the night, Lorenz said.

He said along with fire and police, the Fargo Housing and Redevelopment Authority, Salvation Army and Red Cross will help coordinate displaced residents.

The 22-story Fargo High Rise with 249 one-bedroom units was built in 1971 and is considered one of Fargos tallest residential buildings.

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Water damage forces Fargo High Rise evacuations after 15th floor fire

Dry Pipe Sprinkler System Video Inspection
8 year old dry pipe fire sprinkler system with schedule 10 galvanized steel pipe installed in a parking garage; clear evidence of trapped water on the bottom...

By: Engineered Corrosion

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Dry Pipe Sprinkler System Video Inspection - Video