The Ultimate Fire Sprinkler System Quiz

Sprinkler systems are activated by heat.

Each sprinkler has its own heat sensor so that only one sprinkler will go off at a time. This helps to contain the fire without causing water damage.

Sprinkler systems use about six times less water than a fire hose.

Sprinkler systems are usually activated at temperatures between 135 and 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

Sprinkler heads usually contain a glass trigger which is filled with a special glycerin-based liquid. The liquid expands when heated, causing the glass to break and triggering the opening of a valve which releases water from the pipes attached to the sprinkler.

Sprinkler systems do not take away the need for smoke detectors. Smoke detectors help alert people to a fire and work together with sprinkler systems to save people from fires.

The pipes in a sprinkler system are usually made from copper, steel or fire-resistant plastic.

As the name suggests, a wet pipe system contains pressurized water. As soon as the valve in the sprinkler is released, the water is released through the sprinkler. This system provides a faster reaction time than any other system. However, since the pipes always contain water there is a higher chance of leaks and the water might freeze in cold environments.

Dry pipe systems contain compressed air. When the valve in the sprinkler is released, the air is released from the pipes, allowing water to fill the system.

Dry pipe systems release larger amounts of highly pressurized water. While a dry system will save you the trouble of leaky pipes, it is more expensive to install and maintain since larger pipes are required to provide larger amounts of water.

Pre-action systems reduce the likelihood of false sprinkler activation.

A pre-action system requires two triggers to set it off. The first is a smoke or heat detector that is separate from the sprinkler head. After the first trigger is activated, water is allowed into the pipes. If the second trigger, located inside the sprinkler, is also activated, the water is released from the pipes.

The chances of false sprinkler activation are very slim; only one in 16 million!

Pre-action systems are popular in places that deal with property that would be severely damaged by water, such as museums and libraries, since they further minimize the chance of false sprinkler activation.

Deluge systems are activated by a smoke or heat detector and can also be activated manually with a button or cord. The sprinkler heads of a deluge system are open and are activated simultaneously by the first trigger, without their own trigger. This makes them good for chemical plants or places which contain hazardous materials that could cause a fire to spread very quickly.

The Winecoff Hotel was built in Atlanta in 1913 and claimed to be fireproof. Thirty years later a massive fire broke out, killing 119 guests and claiming the title of the deadliest hotel fire in the U.S. to date. The hotel was built without fire sprinklers, smoke detectors or fire escape ladders.

Fire sprinkler regulations were first put into place in the 1960s.

New high-rises and commercial buildings are required to install fire sprinklers. Existing buildings, including hotels, nursing homes and dormitories, are also required to install fire sprinklers.

Some 3,000 Americans die each year due to house fires. The American Fire Sprinkler Association found that a home fire occurs about every 79 seconds.

Despite the fire statistics, less than 2 percent of homes in the U.S. have fire sprinkler systems installed.