Wet Fire Sprinklers

Wet fire sprinkler systems are a common, effective choice for fire protection. Also known as wet pipe systems, a supply of water is kept on hand for immediate discharge in the event of a fire. Since this water remains stagnant for long periods of time, there is a chance it can become contaminated. Well-maintained backflow prevention equipment can prevent this from happening.

Dry Fire Sprinklers

Unlike wet fire systems, dry fire sprinklers keep pressurized air inside the pipes instead of water. A special valve prevents water from entering the pipes until the sprinklers are activated. This is ideal for unheated spaces, as the water in wet fire systems could freeze in low temperatures.

Pre-Action Fire Sprinklers

Similar to dry fire sprinklers, a pre-action system doesn’t maintain a supply of water. But instead of a dry pipe valve, an electronic detection system recognizes when a fire has started. It signals the pre-action valve to release, delivering water into the pipes. This two-step activation process lowers the risk of accidental discharge, which is ideal for buildings housing moisture-sensitive materials.

Deluge Fire Protection System

Designed for high-risk industrial facilities like power plants or chemical manufacturers, a deluge system releases large amounts of water all at once. Piping is directly connected to the water supply, and every sprinkler head opens simultaneously. This ensures the fire is stopped as quickly as possible before it reaches hazardous materials or delicate equipment.

Foam Sprinkler System

These systems use a combination of water and foam concentrate to extinguish highly flammable materials. The concentrate is housed separately in a bladder tank until it’s pressurized by water as a result of the system activating. The pressure sends the foam into the proportioner, a specialized component that ensures the correct mix of foam and water.

Chemical solvents, industrial alcohol and similar materials can quickly reignite, a problem resolved by the foam’s ability to suffocate fumes and deprive these fires of oxygen.

Please note that Howe currently does not offer the installation of foam systems. Testing is available, however, so feel free to call or text us to schedule an appointment.

Other Fire Protection Services

Our expert team also work with fire pumps and standpipe systems. These can be combined with sprinklers for a truly comprehensive fire protection system.

Fire Pumps

High-rise buildings or sprawling industrial facilities often require vast plumbing systems, including fire suppression piping. Their large size can affect how quickly the sprinklers respond to a fire. Fire pumps alleviate this problem by increasing the water pressure of sprinkler systems as the supply of water passes through the pump.

Standpipe Systems

Standpipe fire suppression systems are a unique form of fire protection. Rather than using sprinklers to automatically extinguish fires, strategic places are chosen throughout the building for hose hookups. These connections are designed for use by professionals like the fire department.

Older buildings will sometimes only have standpipe systems, while newer construction typically favors some combination of the two. They are ideal for large buildings with few entrances and multiple floors, since firefighters won’t have to unravel long lengths of the hose in tight quarters.