Fire Sprinkler Types

There is a wide variety of fire sprinklers in the industry and for some, it can be confusing. Fire sprinklers can mainly be divided into 2 categories: Residential and commercial fire sprinklers. Under each category, there’s a multitude of variety that we can further delve into. Here are some of the most widely used sprinklers in the industry:

Concealed Pendent – These types of fire sprinklers consist of a retractable pendent sprinkler head and are covered with a cover plate after installation. This gives the ceiling a smoother appearance compared to a recessed type. The cover plate will fall away about 20°F prior to activation of the sprinkler. The pendent head will then drop below the ceiling once it has reached its activation temperature.

Pendent and/or Recessed – Unlike the concealed sprinklers, these heads are protruding and hanging out of the ceiling. Although these types of sprinkler head do not need a concealed cover plate, it still requires the use of an escutcheon to cover the sheet rock surrounding it. Typically, recessed sprinklers have a glass tube in the middle filled with colored fluid, depending on the temperature desired.

Upright – These sprinkler heads are standing upwards and have a deflector that pushes the water downwards in a circular pattern. Upright sprinklers are used in inaccessible areas that have a lot of beams and/or obstructions.

Side Wall – Side wall sprinklers are used for rooms where a pipe is undetectable in the ceiling. Hotel buildings are a great example of spaces where pipes cannot be detected in the ceiling. These sprinklers create a half circle spray pattern.

Flush Pendent –  These sprinklers are used for smaller rooms such as apartments and condominiums. The Senju flush pendent has a 4.2 K-factor and is a semi-recessed sprinkler. Because smaller spaces do not necessarily need a 4.9K sprinkler head,  a 4.2K head is very helpful.

No matter which sprinkler is right for your residence/commercial property, it is imperative to have it installed because it really is the best fire protection method for any establishment in case of an emergency.