Today’s Theme: It’s Easy to Live with Home Fire Sprinklers

The Ridge VFD and the Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition (HFSC) understand that you have a lot of important decisions to make when building a new home. Fire safety should be at the top of your list. Sprinklered homes help save lives and protect property for generations to come. It’s easy to live with home fire sprinklers. Any house, any community, any water supply – home fire sprinklers make our communities safer.

Today, a home fire can become deadly in two minutes or less. Home fires burn hot and grow quickly. The flames and deadly smoke move through the house. Two minutes isn’t much time to escape a burning home. This is especially true for older adults, young children, and people with disabilities who can’t get to exits as quickly. The answer: Home fire sprinklers. When the high temperature of the fire surrounds the area below the sprinkler, it breaks the plug and releases the water. The high heat will activate the sprinkler closest to it. This quick action slows, or even puts out, the deadly heat, smoke, and flames while the fire is still small. In the majority of cases, just one sprinkler controls the blaze. Sprinklers cannot be activated by smoke or a smoke alarm.

Sprinklers work automatically even if you’re asleep. That fast action prevents injuries and saves lives, giving you and your family time to escape a fire safely. Because they are so effective at life safety and property protection, more houses today are being built with fire sprinklers.

Choosing flooring, counter tops and window treatments for a new home is important. So is choosing the best fire protection for your family. If you plan to build or buy, ask for home fire sprinklers. I addition, you need working smoke alarms and an escape plan. Even homes with fire sprinklers need working smoke alarms installed on each level. Plan how to get out if there is a fire and practice with occasional fire drills. Test your smoke alarm at least once a month. Press the test button to be sure the alarm is working. Replace all smoke alarms in your home every 10 years.

Fire Sprinklers Are Easy to Live With
Fire sprinklers are very reliable. You’ll be happy to learn that your fire sprinkler system needs little maintenance. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recommends these simple steps:

- Once a Month:
• Check to be sure control value is open.
• If you have a water storage tank, make sure it is full.
• Test the pump (if you have one), to be sure it starts.

- Twice a Year:
• If you have a water flow device, test it and your monitoring service (if any).

- Year-Round:
• Look at all your fire sprinklers and inspect any visible pipes to make sure nothing is hanging from them. Make sure nothing is obstructing any fire sprinkler.

Here are some good practices to keep your sprinkler system operable:
• WARNING: Turning off the water to your home will also turn off the water to your fire sprinkler system. The water main coming into your home supplies the water for the fire sprinkler.
• DO NOT HANG anything on fire sprinklers or pipes. Even lightweight items can damage sprinklers.
• PROTECT FIRE SPRINKLERS FROM BUMPS. Be careful when carrying ladders and other large or tall items. Don’t bump fire sprinklers or exposed pipes.
• DO NOT PAINT the fire sprinkler or the cover. While doing messy work, such as painting, cover the sprinklers with plastic. Remove the plastic as soon as you are finished painting.
• DO NOT BLOCK your fire sprinklers. Keep pictures and large/tall furniture away from sprinklers on the walls. Hang lamps and plants away from ceiling fire sprinklers.
• CONSIDER LOCATION OF PIPES BEHIND THE WALL. Avoid using nails or screws to hang pictures on the wall near the sprinkler pipe.
• TEACH CHILDREN not to touch or play with sprinklers or exposed pipes.

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Learn more at HomeFireSprinkler.org
Follow HFSC on Facebook: facebook.com/HFSCorg#, Instagram: homefiresprinklercoalition, and on Twitter: @HFSCorg. You can also follow HFSC activities on Pinterest: pinterest.com/hfsc/ and LinkedIn.