What if Fire Sprinklers Cause Flooding in Your Business?
2/11/2021 (Permalink)
Fire sprinklers are considered one of the best investments a business or building owner can make in Delray Beach, FL. They not only are by far the best way to prevent fire damage and lives; they also almost never fail on their own.
However, they can theoretically have accidental discharges, especially if they are struck or tampered with. Here’s how to deal with flooding and some tips on what to do afterward.
What Causes an Accidental Discharge?
In most cases, each fire sprinkler is activated on its own. There are four basic causes of an unwanted discharge:
- Tampering
- Being struck
- Heat excursion
- Sprinkler head failure
Bored or careless employees are the normal cause of an unexpected water release. Curiosity about how they work can be overpowering, and since most sprinklers are always on at the head, any tampering is likely to cause flooding.
Poor planning can also cause problems. For instance, if an area gets too much sun, it can melt the tab that holds the water back. Heat is what sets off the sprinklers normally, so the fire sprinkler installation must be done by experts.
The least likely is a sprinkler head failure. The odds of this happening is around 1 in 16 million, so it’s statistically insignificant.
What Should You Do First?
Shut off the water! Find the nearest valve, which may be at the fire sprinkler riser, and stop the flow. Every gallon of water you can save will help.
What Next?
If you have damage, you need to contact a water damage restoration professional immediately. As long as you have insurance, the damage should be covered. Insurance companies love it when buildings have sprinkler systems!
The water damage experts should show up quickly, but in the meantime, you should try to remove any water you can. You may also contact your insurance, or you can leave the paperwork to the water damage repair company.
Flooding from an accidental fire sprinkler discharge is rare, but it can cause a mess. The easiest way to avoid it is to educate your employees about why they should leave the system alone.