Fire suppression system – The sprinklers

For years, fire sprinklers have been in building codes. In 2006 NFPA (the National Fire Protection Association) included a "first-of-its kind requirement in a U.S. building code for home fire sprinklers in one- and two-family dwellings. Today, all U.S. model building codes include sprinkler requirements for all new, one- and two-family homes.
Choosing from the wide variety of options should consider the applications you have in the building, occupants, and the materials you need to protect. Sprinklers use far less water than fire horses, since only sprinklers above the fire will operate.
Heads are the key elements of a sprinkler system since it has the trigger mechanism to open to release water onto the fire. The three more common designs are:

• Conventional heads – releases the water onto the ceiling and it is more suitable for residential use.
• Upright or pendant spray heads - they discharge water straight down and are indicated to rooms with high ceilings.
• Side wall heads – these equipment usually give wider water coverage than conventional sprinkler heads. The installation should be done at a high point on the wall.

Studies show that in buildings completely protected by fire sprinkler systems, over 96% of fires were controlled by fire sprinklers alone.

Source: Next Security