Consumers

Fire Sprinkler Systems

Copper Protects

Fires destroy millions of homes a year. Fortunately, fire prevention programs teach us how to prevent fires from harming our homes and loved ones with safety practices, smoke detectors etc. Yet a sure way to ensure protection against damage from house fires is to have as your first line of defense a reliable fire sprinkler system. And as with plumbing tube for carrying water or fuel gas distribution systems, once again copper is the most economical and safest choice for fire sprinkler systems.

Installation is a huge advantage copper has over other materials - especially plastic and steel. Copper tube, the product required for distributing water throughout the sprinkler system, has an external diameter significantly less than steel tube of the same internal diameter, so using copper tube results in less wall damage and therefore less need for restoration after installation.

But copper tube offers another bonus as well. Depending on design, shape, or size of your home, there may be instances when you can't always "hide" the pipes. BUT, copper permits artistic concealment in these instances, because copper tube takes paint finishes exceptionally well. So any exposed materials can be camouflaged to match the existing décor.

In terms of water-carrying capacity in fire sprinkler systems, copper tube offers advantages over competitive materials as well. For instance, because fittings (joints) are attached in a clean fashion (brazing), the water in these systems can flow through clean passageways. As a result, water quality over the long life of copper systems is expected to remain so high that there's little chance for stain damage from a sprinkler system discharge, whether accidental or in response to a fire. If steel pipe were used on the other hand, a discharge is likely to cause unsightly stains from rusty water.

Another advantage is that copper, unlike plastics, does not deteriorate nor become brittle and subject to fatigue failures. Copper's water-carrying capacity remains effective throughout the life of the system under normal and extreme environmental conditions, such as wide temperature ranges and fire itself.

From initial delivery to installation of the last sprinkler head, copper's light weight, ductility, and rigidity help get the job done quickly. Shipping, storing and handling of copper pose none of the problems of steel's heavy weight or plastic's fragility.

Copper's ease of handling and ductility permit unmatched freedom of design. Using copper can reduce your installation costs by as much as 25%! As you can see, copper is the material to use when deciding to protect your family and home from fire.

Copper's self-protective oxidation makes system flushing to prevent clogging and corrosion buildup unnecessary.

Virtually maintenance-free, copper offers years of trouble-free service, making it the material of choice for fire sprinkler systems in homes.