If a fire breaks out in a business, one of the most common lines of defense is a fire sprinkler system. They’re very effective – in fact, in buildings with properly installed maintained sprinkler systems, 99% of fires can be controlled by fire sprinklers alone.
But, fire sprinklers were not always commonplace. They had to first be invented, and then perfected, and they continue to evolve along with our buildings in the present day.
In this blog, discover the history of fire sprinklers, and what you can expect from your system in today’s times.
Iterations of sprinklers go back all the way to the 15th century, with a design from Leonardo da Vinci in a kitchen. It was allegedly a little too effective, flooding the kitchen with water when a fire broke out.
In 1723, Ambrose Godfrey – a German-born apothecary – created a sprinkler system that used gunpowder to release a tank of fluid to extinguish a fire. This was considered the first “successful automated sprinkler system.” In fact, this same idea would later go on to create an early version of the fire extinguisher.
In 1812, William Congreve put a sprinkler system into the Theatre Royal, on Drury Lane in London. This system was the first one to loosely resemble the sprinkler systems we know today. It featured one big pipe that connected to a large container for water, and then that pipe connected to a series of perforated pipes around the building. If a fire were to break out, water would be poured into the container, where it would travel through the large pipe and be dispersed through all the perforated pipes, flowing out in the form of a sprinkler.
In coming years, more efficient designs would emerge.
The first automatic sprinklers were produced in the 1860s. In 1872, the first patent for an automatic sprinkler system was awarded to inventor Philip W. Pratt. There were plugs to keep the valves on the sprinkler closed until it was needed, and when it turned on, the sprinkler featured a spinning head powered by water pressure, resulting in the sprinkler.
However, many credit Henry S. Parmalee as the first inventor of a “true” automatic sprinkler in 1874. In his design, he soldered shut the holes, which would melt and open in the case of a fire, automatically releasing the water.
Improvements continued into the 1880s and 1890s. In 1881, the first heat-sensitive automatic sprinkler was designed, and in 1890, engineer Frederick Grinnell invented the glass disc sprinkler – which is essentially the same kind that is used today.
Sprinklers have been used in buildings in the United States since the 1870s, with first installations happening in factories and other high-risk commercial buildings.
Modern sprinklers often work with a heat-sensitive glass tube or solder plug. These features act as a “plug,” keeping water from flowing. If the temperature increases enough, the “plug” bursts or breaks, and the water comes out as a sprinkler. Because of this, typically only sprinklers near the heat or fire will automatically turn on, which helps maximize the water pressure and minimizes potential water damage to property.
Today, sprinklers are installed in nearly all buildings, including non-industrial ones, such as schools, apartment buildings, hospitals and more. That’s because they are incredibly effective. The NFPA found that in properties with sprinklers present, civilian deaths were 90% lower when fires broke out. Additionally, they help to confine fires – 94% of fires were contained to the room of origin when sprinklers were present, vs. 70% of fires in properties without sprinklers.
If you’re not sure if your fire sprinkler system is up to code – or you don’t have one at all - we’re here to help. Our fire and life safety team will work with you to create a custom system perfect for your unique needs. Get started by reaching out to us today for a free consultation.