Low-pressure water mist
When planning residential development such as sheltered, supported and extra care housing, local authorities have many specialised needs to take into account. Not least, the safety of the residents whose mobility and other restrictive factors can often require special consideration when it comes to fire safety.
iCO low-pressure nozzles are the first to have been independently tested to BS EN 14972-17. This breakthrough makes low-pressure water mist a viable alternative to traditional sprinklers for residential developments being planned, built or refurbished by local authorities.
Approved Document B provides specific guidance on fire safety systems, including sprinklers, while alternative approaches can require a more engineered fire strategy. Low-pressure water mist from iCO becomes a valid option here. Local authorities looking for lower water demand, smaller pipework, or less intrusive installation compared with conventional sprinkler arrangements can now specify this type of system with greater approval confidence, thanks to a low-pressure nozzle that’s been independently tested to meet BS EN 14972-17, successfully passing rigorous testing for residential buildings up to 45 metres high at up to 3.5 metre installation height. As part of a system that’s been appropriately designed and installed as suitable for the application, this helps low-pressure water mist as a capable, compliant fire suppression system for a much broader range of residential applications.
However, the question many architects, specifiers and installers ask themselves is: why choose a relatively new fire suppression technology over a more familiar one? The answer is the very clear benefits, which we’ll outline here.
Every square foot counts in new-build or retrofit residential developments. One of low-pressure water mist’s main advantages over sprinklers is the difference in stored water it requires to meet regulations. As it uses far less water to suppress heat and flames – up to 80% less in some cases – the amount of water required on standby is reduced by the same amount. Which means far smaller tanks are needed, with room used. Less weight-bearing is to be considered by architects. Plus, more compact pumps were required. All of which keeps costs down while freeing up valuable square metres of interior space.
If a water mist system is activated, the amount of water released requires far less clean-up as the volume is considerably less than that of a traditional sprinkler. This means potentially less water damage to areas not affected by the fire incident. The nozzles operate in a similar way to sprinkler bulbs by only discharging water in the immediate area that has been activated by heat.
iCO low-pressure nozzles are concealed behind a discreet plastic cap that’s recessed into the ceiling until activated by heat. This makes them invisible until a fire sets off the system and they automatically deploy, reducing the chance of malicious tampering or vandalism that could trigger the nozzles unnecessarily, also causing potentially expensive damage and cleanup. They also provide a neater, less institutional look that won’t impact the design and line of ceilings.
One of the main advantages of low-pressure water mist over conventional sprinklers is the system’s effectiveness at fire and heat suppression. Using the same reinforced rubber, EPDM, or PVC pipework as standard sprinklers, the system can run on the same infrastructure while delivering impressive fire and heat suppression.
Because the droplets are so small, they create a vastly larger total surface area than sprinkler water droplets. This allows heat to be absorbed far more efficiently.
In England, sprinklers (or equivalent automatic fire suppression) are required when a building reaches certain thresholds. Wales takes the view that automatic suppression is required in specified residential new-builds and refurbishments. In Scotland, legislation concerning fire suppression is the strictest in the UK, with automatic fire suppression demanded in all new-build flats and maisonettes, new social housing dwellings and shared multi-occupancy residential buildings.
Find out more about iCO low-pressure water mist systems – and how you can compliantly specify and install them in local authority residential developments.
