Malfunctioning Sprinkler Systems Cause Damage to Southbury Area Businesses

12/7/2018 (Permalink)

A water sprinkler that discharged caused water damage to this warehouse in New Haven County.

If you have a commercial business, you have a fire prevention sprinkler system in place. Commercial fire protection sprinklers are the best way to save your building (and the lives of those in it!) because of their ability to stop fires in their early stages from consuming more property and becoming costlier.

As much as we are grateful for these sprinkler systems and the lives they save, they can sometimes malfunction and trigger when there is no fire, causing water damage. There are some steps business owners can take to avoid a malfunctioning sprinkler system. 

Sprinkler systems have safeguards to stop them from deploying except during a fire. However, there are a few circumstances that can cause them to accidentally deploy:

1. Frozen pipes - When pipes freeze, the extra pressure causes pipes to break.
2. Structural Damage - Damage can be caused to the sprinkler mechanism by service work done in or around the ceiling by yourself or others.
3. Metal corrosion - from stagnant water in the pipes or sprinklers

The most important step for stopping sprinklers from flooding your business it to identify where your business’ water shutoff valve is located. You should familiarize yourself with its operation, so you can stop the sprinklers if there is no fire. In case you are absent, other trusted employees should also be informed of it.

Water damage can ultimately be prevented with occasional professional inspection of your fire sprinklers. Proper maintenance ensures the system will deploy only when you need it. It’s good practice to make sure the sprinklers are clear of obstructions and not used to hang decorations. 

If you do have a sprinkler malfunction, and once you have turned off the water source, call a professional water damage restoration company immediately so that the work can started quickly. Your actions impact the total cost of such services. With proper measures taken before and during a defective sprinkler incident, you can avoid the devastating damage a sprinkler system can cause.