The Top 5 Causes of Fire Sprinklers Accidentally Discharging

2/17/2021 (Permalink)

When your sprinklers accidentally go off, you can be left with a lot of water damage.

The Top 5 Causes of Fire Sprinklers Accidentally Discharging

Automatic fire sprinklers are the first line of defense against fires for many businesses. However, several problems can trip these sprinklers and cause flooding in your building when there is no fire.

1. Overheating
These systems are designed to go off when there is heat, but they can't tell if the heat is coming from a fire or something else. That means placing them too close to heaters, skylights, or cooking equipment could cause them to go off. Even temporary heat sources can lead to accidental discharges and flooding in your business in Point Pleasant, PA.

2. Freezing
Freezing temperatures may not always cause your sprinklers to activate. However, it can still lead to water in your business. This is because most sprinklers have a pipe supply that always has water in it. If even a little bit of this supply line is exposed to freezing temperatures, it can lead to a rupture that dumps gallons of water in your business.

3. Damage
Fire suppression systems are relatively indestructible, but that doesn't mean that they can't be damaged or defective. If your system gets damaged or is defective, it can lead to an accidental discharge and a mess that can only be reversed by water restoration professionals.

4. Corrosion
Corrosion is a source of problems for many areas of business. Although your sprinklers have the greatest risk, any part of your system can corrode. The result is rust eating pinholes in your pipes and causing leaks.

5. Sabotage
Whether it is insurance fraud, vandalism, or a prank, sabotage can cause accidental discharge and flooding. Depending on your work environment, you may be more prone to this kind of issue, but it is generally the least common cause.
When your sprinklers accidentally go off, you can be left with a lot of water damage that needs to be cleaned up. Therefore, you must know what can cause your sprinklers to go off aside from a fire.