Blog – Why Installing a Fire Sprinkler System in Your Domestic Environment is Key to Your Safety
Statistics released by the UK Government in 2013-14 show that over 300 people died from injuries sustained by fire, 80% of which originated within the home. Furthermore, a whopping 9,748 suffered non-fatal injuries, with 80% being house fire-related. With the impact of accidental fire clear to see, it is vitally important to properly protect yourself within the home by ensuring that your fire security is up to scratch. So if you haven’t considered installing a domestic fire sprinkler system yet, you might want to think again.
Fire sprinkler systems are great for all domestic dwellings, and particularly for individuals who are more vulnerable and less capable of reacting quickly (more than half of all house fire deaths involve people aged 65 years or older). Installing a domestic fire sprinkler system in the home offers a greater level of protection and security for those who may not be able to escape or react quickly.
Yet fire sprinkler systems are not just for the more vulnerable members of society – 11% of dwelling fires occur between midnight and 5am; a time at which individuals are likely to be asleep and at a greater risk from fire. Fire sprinklers react to growing fires automatically, and so are not only great for when you are away from your home, but also for protecting you whilst you are within it.
Residences without fire protection account for 38% of home fire deaths in Great Britain. While installing basic safety equipment (such as a fire alarm) is a great starting point for protecting both yourself, your family and your property, they are clearly not enough, as they do nothing to extinguish the fire itself. Fire sprinkler installation offers a much greater level of safety, while remaining cost-effective and easy to integrate within the home.
Many people are hesitant to install fire sprinklers, as they have fallen foul of many myths and misconceptions that are perpetuated on a daily basis. For example, many assume that when a fire is detected, all of a sprinkler system’s heads are triggered simultaneously, when in actual fact only those in the immediate vicinity are, as they are set off by the heat of the fire and not the detection system itself. People may worry that water damage will be greater than the damage caused by the fire itself, but the odds of this occurring are staggeringly low (16,000,000 to 1). Sprinkler systems typically use around 50 litres of water per minute, with one head tackling the fire. In contrast, the fire brigade (who will take longer to respond and therefore have a larger fire to tackle when they arrive) use as much as 100-1,000 times more. Fire sprinkler systems are able to tackle fires instantly, meaning much less water is used and thus much less water damage is sustained.
Offering a cost-effective solution to protecting both your life and your property, fire sprinkler systems are perfect for any domestic environment. Think a fire sprinkler system is right for you, or need further information from the AES National team? Give us a call on 01473 320 350 or email info@aesnational.co.uk – we’ll be happy to answer all of your questions.