About Sprinkler Systems

Distribution and availability of water has always been essential for the survival of human beings. Fire and drought used to be devastating for all life in an area, and though early aqueducts and irrigation systems helped, the modern-day invention of sprinkler systems has perfected it.

Irrigation Sprinklers

An irrigation sprinkler is a type of sprinkler system used to provide water for plants and farm land. Irrigation sprinklers are sometimes found in homeowner's lawns and are used to keep grass green and healthy, but they are also used to water crops and to grow food.

Fire Sprinklers

Fire sprinklers, the second type of sprinkler system, are used indoors and are intended to be a defensive agent against fires. Fire sprinklers are usually found on the walls or ceilings of a building, next to a smoke detector. If a fire is detected, these sprinklers are designed to go off after a certain amount of time, releasing water to put out any fires in the room.

Locations

Irrigation sprinklers, while usually used in personal lawns or farms, are also used by most businesses that have a yard or an expanse of grass. For example, golf courses have extensive irrigation sprinkler systems to ensure that the course stays green and playable. Fire sprinkler systems are found in most schools, in public and private office buildings, and even in some homes and apartment complexes.

Installation

An irrigation sprinkler system is usually installed underground. It consists of a series of connected pipes that have sprinkler heads on them every few meters. The sprinkler heads are left above the ground, but the pipes are buried just under the surface of the system area. These pipes are then connected to a water supply, which is sometimes a lake or a well, but can also be on the grid from which the home or business receives the rest of its water supply. In the case of fire sprinklers, instillation is similar but instead of being underground, the pipes are inside the walls or ceiling of the building, with the sprinkler heads left in the open. A fire sprinkler system may be connected to the main water supply, or it may be connected to a separate reservoir of water specifically for the sprinkler system.

Benefits

The benefits for sprinkler systems of both types go beyond the obvious reasons. Irrigation sprinkler systems provide the means for an aesthetically pleasing lawn or a healthy garden, but they also provide water to crops. In cases of severe drought, when crops would die without intervention and food supply would be affected, irrigation sprinkler systems transfer water to dehydrated fields. Fire sprinkler systems can keep a fire under control until the fire department can arrive and can limit the loss of life and property caused by fires.

Resources

• FEMA information on fire sprinkler systems for the home.
• Information on irrigation sprinkler systems for crop use.