NFPA Journal - October 2016 Home Fire Sprinkler Special Issue - 32

» SPRINKLER FACTS

Dept. of Myths & Misperceptions

Tell it True

Debunking 10 Myths About Home Fire Sprinklers

MYTH

Every time I burn the bacon, I'll set off a sprinkler.

Newer homes are safer homes.

FACT

Home sprinklers are activated by temperature, not smoke. You
may set off a smoke alarm, but you won't trigger a sprinkler-
unless the burned bacon becomes a sufficiently large fire.

In a fire, unprotected lightweight construction used in many
modern homes burns quicker and fails faster than traditional
materials. New homes can contain modern furnishings made
of synthetic materials, resulting in a greater fuel load, faster
fire propagation, and a more toxic environment.

2 MYTH

I have smoke alarms so I don't need fire sprinklers.
FACT
Smoke alarms are essential in every home. But they can only
detect smoke from a fire. Fire sprinklers detect the fire and
automatically control it, saving lives and property.

3 MYTH

Smoke alarms will give my family enough time to
safely exit if there's a fire.
FACT
Maybe. While smoke alarms are a critical first step in home
fire safety, studies have shown that fires in modern homes can
grow quickly and reach flashover in as little as two to three minutes-conditions that can be avoided with home fire sprinklers,
providing you and your family with valuable time to escape.

4 MYTH

When a fire occurs, every sprinkler will
activate and everything in the house will be
ruined by water damage.
FACT
Because home sprinklers are triggered by a rise in temperature, typically only the sprinkler closest to the fire will activate.
Water is sprayed directly on the fire, leaving the rest of the
house dry and secure. Roughly 85 percent of the time, when
there's a fire, just one sprinkler operates.

5 MYTH

The fire department will be able to put out
the fire and save my things.
FACT
In the 9 to 12 minutes it typically takes a fire department to
respond, an uncontrolled fire will grow and spread through the
home, causing tremendous smoke and fire damage. In a fire,
sprinklers can control and may even extinguish a fire in less
time than it would take the fire department to arrive.

6 MYTH

NFPA JOURNAL OCTOBER 2016

7 MYTH

Home fire sprinklers leak or activate accidentally.
FACT
Sprinkler leaks are very rare and are no more likely than leaks
from a home's plumbing system. A sprinkler is calibrated
to activate when it senses a significant heat change. They
don't operate in response to smoke, cooking vapors, steam,
or the sound of a smoke alarm.

8 MYTH

Sprinklers are unattractive and will ruin the
aesthetics of my home.
FACT
New home fire sprinkler models are unobtrusive, can be
mounted flush with walls or ceilings, and can be
concealed behind decorative covers.

9 MYTH

Sprinklers are not practical in colder climates,
since the pipes will freeze and cause water damage.
FACT
With proper installation, sprinklers will not freeze. NFPA 13D,
Installation of Sprinkler Systems in One- and TwoFamily Dwellings and Manufactured Homes, includes guidelines on proper insulation to prevent pipes from freezing.

10 MYTH

The water damage caused by sprinklers will be
more extensive than the fire damage.
FACT
In a fire, sprinklers quickly control heat and smoke. Any water
damage from the sprinkler will be much less severe than the
damage caused by water from firefighting hose lines. Fire
departments use 10 times as much water as home fire
sprinklers, and often much more, to extinguish a fire.

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of NFPA Journal - October 2016 Home Fire Sprinkler Special Issue