[vreihen16]

Originally Posted by N8N

Or just use non-ferrous pipe.

What's the melting temperature of PEX?????

(180-200F, according to my search engine du-jour.)

[Tommysalami]

Originally Posted by N8N

For a dry system I would look into a nitrogen generator. Seems to be becoming more and more common at least in commercial. Or just use non-ferrous pipe.

Yep, these are becoming a best practice for dry systems, but not always used due to added expense.

Originally Posted by N8N

I don't know if it is still true, but I used to work for a company which contained a division which was the originator of the fire sprinkler system. The assertion then was that not one person had ever died from a fire in a building with a properly functioning sprinkler system.

I've heard this as well. Haven't looked into its accuracy but residential deaths in buildings with functioning sprinkler systems are close to nil.

Originally Posted by vreihen16

What's the melting temperature of PEX?????

(180-200F, according to my search engine du-jour.)

Most residential sprinkler systems use CPVC piping which melts around 420 F. So you'd think that's an issue since fire is obviously much hotter, but in reality the sprinklers will activate prior to pipe melting, and that water spray greatly cools the smoke layer.

[N8N]

Originally Posted by vreihen16

What's the melting temperature of PEX?????

(180-200F, according to my search engine du-jour.)

while black iron pipe is most common, I've also seen CPVC and copper used. As someone else pointed out though, if the pipe reaches 200F things have already gone poorly.

[Maynard]

Originally Posted by N8N

I don't know if it is still true, but I used to work for a company which contained a division which was the originator of the fire sprinkler system. The assertion then was that not one person had ever died from a fire in a building with a properly functioning sprinkler system.

This is what our safety officer told us at the hospital I worked at, with some photos of what a nursing home looked like where they had one wing that sprinklers malfunctioned - the difference between protected area and unprotected was staggering. They are, potentially, even more helpful in single-family homes, since those are where you are more likely to all be fast asleep and needing the extra exit time. I'd put one in anything I was building.

And when I was joking with one of the maintenance guys about the old movie bit of setting them off with a lighter, he said that it will not work, there is some sort of safety system that will prevent discharge if it is only one head getting the heat. Anybody know if this is true or not?

[tranquility]

This is all very educational, thanks everyone for all the information. I guess I still have a bit of apprehension if sprinklers are in my home but overall it's definitely a good thing to have weighing pros/cons.

[Tommysalami]

Originally Posted by Maynard

...
And when I was joking with one of the maintenance guys about the old movie bit of setting them off with a lighter, he said that it will not work, there is some sort of safety system that will prevent discharge if it is only one head getting the heat. Anybody know if this is true or not?

He's right, but not really because of a safety system. It's not like the movies where the action hero shoots a sprinkler or pulls the fire alarm and every single head sprays water. Only the sprinklers over the fire go off since the heat has to break the bulb before anything can flow out.

What he said is sorta true though. There are pre-action sprinkler systems that require both a sprinkler to break and a smoke detector to activate for water to discharge. Generally used in places like IT rooms.

[N8N]

Originally Posted by Tommysalami

He's right, but not really because of a safety system. It's not like the movies where the action hero shoots a sprinkler or pulls the fire alarm and every single head sprays water. Only the sprinklers over the fire go off since the heat has to break the bulb before anything can flow out.

What he said is sorta true though. There are pre-action sprinkler systems that require both a sprinkler to break and a smoke detector to activate for water to discharge. Generally used in places like IT rooms.

Having worked in the industry for 20 years, there are SO many things wrong with the sprinkler/fire alarm scenes in for example Die Hard...