Why do we need a fire sprinkler shut-off tool?
- By Matt Scarpuzzi
- 02/01/17
The best way to protect a building and its occupants from fire is to have an automatic
fire sprinkler system. However, when
a fire sprinkler system accidentally activates
it can cause hundreds of thousands of dollars
in damage. Talk to anyone who has had a fire
sprinkler accident and you will hear just how
catastrophic water damage can be. I have
seen sprinkler accidents caused by everything
from a kickball game in a dorm hallway
to moving furniture in a science lab to
hanging a clothes hanger on a sprinkler head
in a classroom. When these accidents occur,
a fire sprinkler shut-off tool can immediately
stop the flow of water to the activated head
while keeping the rest of the sprinkler system
functional.
A single fire sprinkler head can expel
between 30 to 100 gallons per minute, causing
an estimated $1,000 of damage per minute.
As a firefighter, I have personally seen over 30
stories of a building destroyed from a single
sprinkler head. In most cities, a building’s
water supply can only be shut off by the fire
department. Waiting for firefighters to be
dispatched, respond, locate, access and shut
down the system can result in hundreds of
gallons of unclean water pouring into your
hallways and classrooms. Stopping the activated
head quickly using a sprinkler tool helps
avoid expensive damages and keeps every
sprinkler head in the building pressurized.
Your buildings stay open and operational while
your students and faculty remain safe and
protected.
Whether you are looking to protect dorm
rooms, lab equipment or classrooms, you
cannot afford to have a sprinkler accident
without keeping a fire sprinkler shut-off tool
on site.
This article originally appeared in the issue of .
About the Author
Matt Scarpuzzi is a San Diego firefighter and owner of Quickstop Fire Sprinkler Tools (www.quickstoptool.com). Contact him at [email protected] or 858/750-2232.