Frequently asked questions (Continued from Pg 4)

What about maintenance?
It has been argued that homeowners will be incapable of maintaining sprinklers to an acceptable standard and that pipes may burst in the winter if allowed to freeze. The same is true of domestic central heating systems, which are considerably more complex, and homeowners seem to be able to look after their pipes and have their boilers serviced.It is true that sprinklers are more at risk since they contain static water which is not ordinarily in use, so a frozen sprinkler pipe will be less likely to be discovered and more likely to burst. However, if a sprinkler system has been properly installed to the recognised standard for domestic sprinklers, with a built-in maintenance regime, it will be protected from freezing. But no system is fool-proof and risk-free and homeowners may need to be prepared to accept this slightly increased risk as a reasonable cost of improved fire safety.

What about installation?
The installation of a residential sprinkler system is arguably less complex than that of a conventional domestic plumbing system. A basic concept of sprinkler protection is that sprinklers must be installed throughout all areas of the building. Fitting a system to existing or new buildings can also be made easier by the use of PVC plastic piping.

How much does a sprinkler system cost?
The cost of a system is dependent on the size of the property and whether the system is installed during the construction stage or is retrospectively fitted. Generally a system for a new property would be 1-2% of the total build cost. To fit a sprinkler system to a house that is already built will cost a few thousand pounds.