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Fire sprinklers

steve_6
steve_6 Member Posts: 243
Yes the water in the system does become stagnant, but that really doesn't matter. What matters is that the system be able to put out the fire and or keep it from spreading. And pex tubing to supply water to the sprinkler heads, what happens if the plastic tubing burns through and kills the water supply to the sprinkler heads. Fire protection systems are supposed to be in iron pipe not copper or plastic.If your interested in having this installed in your home, check with a company that does fire protection systems or your local fire prevention officer who is certified to inspect these systems.

Comments

  • Wirsbo Aquasafe fire sprinkler

    I have been renovating my house on Long Island now for about three years.

    During that time I have become very interested in installing a fire sprinkler system.

    During the course of my research,I have become aware of a sprinkler system by Wirsbo, that is incorporated into the domestic water. I am very interested in this system, and I would love to hear from anybody who has had experience with installing this system or has any comments or concerns.

    One thing that has crossed my mind is that there could possibly be a water stagnation problem such as the one you could have when installing an open heating system that is being promoted by some radiant sytem manufacturers.

    I can't imagine why anyone wouldn't want a system like this in their house unless there is something I don't know about it.

    Any comments would be greatly appreciated.

    Craig
  • Wirsbo Aquasafe fire sprinkler

    I have been renovating my house on Long Island now for about three years.

    During that time I have become very interested in installing a fire sprinkler system.

    During the course of my research,I have become aware of a sprinkler system by Wirsbo, that is incorporated into the domestic water. I am very interested in this system, and I would love to hear from anybody who has had experience with installing this system or has any comments or concerns.

    One thing that has crossed my mind is that there could possibly be a water stagnation problem such as the one you could have when installing an open heating system that is being promoted by some radiant sytem manufacturers.

    I can't imagine why anyone wouldn't want a fire sprinkler system like this in their house unless there is something I don't know about it.

    Any comments would be greatly appreciated.

    Craig
  • Mad Dog
    Mad Dog Member Posts: 2,595
    I am on Long Island and have a fire sprink system

    great idea. Yes the wirsbo system is very cool conceptually, I am just not crazy about using pex for domestic water or fire sprinks. But it is doine all the time and is a good system. Stagnation IS not a problem. We are certified to install the combo system and are here to help if you'd like. Drop us an email. Thanks Matt Mad Dog Sweeney

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  • The systems I studied a few years ago INSISTED on a "return" at the ends of "mains" to prevent stagnation. Things might have changed since then however.

    I was going to add a domestic fire suppression system to my entire house. Checked with insurance company to find out if they offered a lowered rate. To my surprise it was HIGHER--due to water damage concerns they said.

    I haven't checked with them for a few years but hope that they are more enlightened now that the systems have been on the market for longer (and I presume without false tripping).

    Too late for the entire house, but I can still add it to the kitchen and the basement where fires are most likely to occur anyway. I ran a couple "extra" 1" water lines in my house--one for a gutter cleaning system that I hope to install early next spring before the next elm tree mess and one to the attic so I can install fire suppression in the kitchen up there without too much hassle.

    The gutter/downspout cleaning system should be really sweet if it works. Despite the best screen gutter covers I could find crap from trees in adjacent lots ALWAYS manages to make its way through. I'd cut down the damned elm tree if it weren't so huge and healthy...

    Simple advice: NEVER plant an elm tree within 100' of a home!!!! And then make sure it is DOWNWIND!!! Seriously!!! Besides the NEVERENDING mess of things falling out of them they are have EXTREMELY invasive and shallow roots. If you keep a pretty lawn plan on AT LEAST 1.5 times the amount of water and fertilizer under the elms' canopy. They are WELL KNOWN for "sucking" water and fertilizer.
  • local fire department

    recommends installing (retrofit if necessary) one sprinkler head over the clothes dryer and one by the furnace/water heater (almost all natural gas around here with furnace and
    WH next to each other).

    They claim that's where the majority of the fires they see start. Even say to just tap into the nearest water line - don't know if I agree with that part.

    Mark
  • Thanks Mark

    Laundries at both levels are still accessible and I'm actually using a stacked double gas dryer (purchased for $4 from Univerisity "surplus" auction) in the main laundry.

    Dryer works great but it has been really fun figuring ways around the "ticket" system that is used...

    That Maytag hot surface ignitor seems indestructible...I presume it's similar to that in boilers but then I guess that the "typical" boiler cycles MANY times more than a dryer....
  • Mark Hunt
    Mark Hunt Member Posts: 4,909
    YOU OLD DAWG!!!!


    It's 2003 so get with it for cryin' out loud!!!!

    You better have CI traps under your sinks!

    See ya' soon!

    Mark H



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  • Stagnant water does matter if it is tied to the domestic.

    Every residential fire sprinkler system that I've researched uses plastic pipe, and is approved by the National Fire Sprinkler Association and all National building codes.

    You do raise a good point about the pipe burning. I don't know what they say about that. My guess is that because the pipe is behind the wall, the fire will be extinguished before it has a chance to melt the pipe.

    Craig
  • Mad Dog
    Mad Dog Member Posts: 2,595
    NEVER!!!!!! HUNT From my cold dead hands!!!! you will have to

    try ...that's right try!!!!! to pry the rigid 24" (not the aluminum one!!!. As I have said before...I am fighting a delaying action on old school stuff. I will put in the newer stuff only after I see them well-proven out in the field. I like pex on radiant - so far. Heavy, cast brass LA traps under the sink!!!!!!!!! AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!! MD

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  • Gani
    Gani Member Posts: 1
    edited July 2012
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  • Mark Eatherton
    Mark Eatherton Member Posts: 5,853
    Engineered systems...

    All Uponor fire protection system must be engineered to insure proper water flow in case of a fire, and also to maintain potability of the water going through the lines. Your chances of exposure to a water born disease due to stagnation is no greater with the Uponor system than it would normally be. In fact, its probably less.



    I've not personally installed any, but am aware of a couple of contractors here in Colorado that have, and they have had no problems at all.



    I'm sure that if you talk with the folks at Uponor, they'd be more than happy to provide you with names and numbers of people who do this on a regular basis. They are real friendly that way.



    Speaking of myths, what you see on TV, when Bruce Willis or any other movie star causes the sprinkler system to go on isn't what happens in reality. In the real world, which ever head "sees" high temperature is the one that opens up. Not every head in the system. Only those being exposed to fire.



    Prior to the collapse of the World Trade Centers in NY on 9/11, there were NO cases of anyone having had died in a fire in a building that was sprinkled. Now THAT is a hard fact to overcome, and an even harder fact to ignore.



    Funny how some things slip through the cracks, and others get strained out. We have all of this wonderful technology available to us, and if properly legislated and applied could save lives. (Thinking fire protection systems and mandatory CO alarms) but due to the fact that no federal legislators have lost any family members to "pick a reason", it is not mandatory. Take FVIR water heaters as an example. They (non FVIR water heaters) cause MANY fires every year due to flammable vapors coming into contact with the flame, but it wasn't until a senators daughter was involved in a flash fire that the FVIR requirements became mandatory.



    Sad but true...



    ME
    It's not so much a case of "You got what you paid for", as it is a matter of "You DIDN'T get what you DIDN'T pay for, and you're NOT going to get what you thought you were in the way of comfort". Borrowed from Heatboy.
  • kcopp
    kcopp Member Posts: 4,419
    I have installed....

    3 of these systems and have them approved by local fire depts as installed and engineered by Uponor. They can be a bit more complex but they do assure you that each time you turn on a cold water faucet you are testing the spinkler system. I do hope that they never need to be tested in a real fire.
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