Re: Automatic fire sprinklers

[Tom Horne <hornetd@xxxxxxxxx>]

On Jan 10, 4:38=A0pm, nick markowitz <nmarkow...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> On Jan 10, 2:41=A0pm, Evan <evan.news.re...@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
>
>
> > On Jan 10, 1:10=A0pm, "k...@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx"
>
> > <k...@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> > > On Mon, 10 Jan 2011 06:23:30 -0800 (PST), jamesgangnc <jamesgan...@gm=
ail.com>
> > > wrote:
>
> > > >On Jan 10, 8:25=A0am, "Techvoid" <n...@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> > > >> "Dean Hoffman" <dh0496@in#&ebr^as^#ka.com> wrote in message
>
> > > >>news:igeu4d$b7k$1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>
> > > >> > =A0are now required in new Pennsylvania homes:
> > > >> >http://tinyurl.com/323syvr
>
> > > >> good idea?
>
> > > >It's not as expensive as it used to be. =A0There is a cpvc pipe that=
 can
> > > >be used for sprinklers. =A0I don't think it's actually different, I
> > > >think they just made it orange. =A0But I'm not sure. =A0I got 8 spri=
nkler
> > > >heads to put in the garage I'm building out at our lake house. =A0Pi=
cked
> > > >them up on ebay for about $5 apiece. =A0Idea came to me after some o=
f
> > > >our friends almost burned down their house with a garage fire.
> > > >Happened while they were at home and they didn't know it until the
> > > >neighbor called them. =A0By then flames were rolling up the outside
> > > >wall. =A0$100k+ in damages and it barely got out of the garage into =
the
> > > >living space above before the fire dept put it out.
>
> > > >I think you could do a whole house for a couple hundred in materials=
.
> > > >Not sure how much additional plumber labor but I would think you cou=
ld
> > > >keep it under a grand total. =A0My grandparents house in missisppi b=
uilt
> > > >in the 1920's had sprinklers located in on the ceiling in front of
> > > >each fireplace hearth. =A0Since there was a fireplace in every room =
it
> > > >amounted to a whole house sprinkler system.
>
> > > Sounds like just more pipes to burst, particularly in a second home. =
=A0More
> > > nannyism for the government. =A0
>
> > LOL... =A0Sounds like you think you are in an area where public safety
> > budgets have not been cut yet... =A0It is either raise tax rates even
> > more
> > or start cutting even on the essential services like police and
> > fire...
>
> > If it takes more than 5 minutes for the fire department to respond to
> > your structure after calling 911, then a properly designed sprinkler
> > system will save lives as well as prevent serious damage to your
> > building...
>
> > Now realize that you might not become aware of a fire in your home
> > if it is on another floor or in an isolated room like a garage or
> > basement
> > until it flashes over... =A0If you are *just* calling the fire
> > department at
> > that point you will have a $100k loss to deal with...
>
> > If you are concerned about the water freezing in your sprinkler system
> > there are dry sprinkler systems which keep the water out of the piping
> > until a head pops and the air pressure is released opening the wet
> > valve and allowing water to flow to the sprinkler heads...
>
> > Such systems are installed everywhere in commercial buildings where
> > there is a large enough overhang or covered exterior area close to the
> > building which requires protection because of its use or its location
> > on
> > an egress path which must be protected...
>
> > ~~ Evan
>
> Unfortunately dry systems can be a pain in the ass to maintain they
> have drum drips which must be emptied at least monthly or you risk
> them freezing as well.
> pcv does not sweat as much but the drums must be kept empty to prevent
> problems.

I have been responsible for sprinkler systems in various structures my
entire life and I didn't spend half a day each month emptying drum
traps.  That is only necessary in the weeks immediately after a system
trip or the weeks just after commissioning a metallic pipe system.
Once a system is properly charged there is no way for water to enter
the piping system beyond the dry pipe valve unless the system trips or
is charged from the fire department connection.
--
Tom Horne