How does a sprinkler system work?
• A: Most sprinkler systems have water in the pipes at all times. There are some variations for special circumstances. When the sprinkler head reaches a certain temperature, the piece holding the head closed will break, allowing water to flow. Sprinkler heads may be designed to tolerate different amounts of heat, depending on where they will be located. Most sprinkler systems will sound an alarm and notify the alarm company if they activate. NOTE: Don’t be fooled by television. If one sprinkler in the building is activated, it does NOT mean that they will all go off. That type of system does exist, but it is only used in specific buildings for specific reasons.
At the most basic level, a sprinkler system contains a few main components. The first is the controller. This is an electronic, computerized unit that normally hangs on the wall of your garage. It is the “brains” behind the sprinkler system, with a timer that tells your system which set of sprinkler heads should turn on when, and for how long. The controller is connected to a set of valves that regulate the flow of water into a specific “zone” in your sprinkler system. The valves act like faucets that turn off and on when told to by the controller. The valves are tied directly into your water system and are normally found in buried plastic boxes with removable lids for access. The valves then feed water into the rest of the sprinkler system, which is composed of plastic PVC pipes that lead to the actual sprinkler heads. The pipes are all buried approx. 12 inches underground. The sprinkler heads are set normally at about ground level when not in use, and then they pop-up when the water
