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Don't Fear Automatic Sprinkler Systems in IT Rooms
To be in compliance with NFPA 75 Protection of Information Technology Equipment, information technology equipment rooms and areas located in buildings containing sprinkler technology shall be provided with an automatic sprinkler system. To be in compliance with NFPA 75 information technology equipment rooms and areas located in a non-sprinkler building shall be provided with an automatic sprinkler system or a gaseous clean agent extinguishing system or both. Additionally, automatic detection equipment shall be installed to provide early warning of fire.
Risk considerations for Information Technology Systems require detailed assessments in protecting the environment, equipment, function, programming, records and supplies. When this assessment process reveals that NFPA 75 requires automatic sprinkler protection in IT rooms and areas there is usually resistance. There are usually two root causes of this unfounded fear of installing automatic sprinkler systems in IT rooms and areas. The first fear is that all of the sprinklers activate during a fire. Fire statistics show only one or two heads are needed to control or extinguish a fire. The second fear is leaking sprinkler piping. Sprinkler pipes just don’t start leaking unless they are physically damaged. There may be valid concern for damaging sprinkler piping installed in a rack storage system in a warehouse. It is highly unlikely physical damage will occur to sprinkler systems in a information technology room or area.
One of the best fire protection solutions for IT rooms is provide a clean agent gaseous extinguishing system and a double interlock pre-action sprinkler system. The pre-action system will comply with the NFPA 75 automatic sprinkler system requirement while the clean agent extinguishing system is the best system to penetrate fires than occur in IT equipment enclosures.
Under normal conditions the double interlock pre-action sprinkler system is charged with air and water is held back at the pre-action system deluge valve. The pre-action valve will not release water into the sprinkler piping unless fire activates the smoke detection system and fuses a sprinkler releasing air pressure. If the fire detection detects smoke the system will go into alarm, but not release water. If physical damage occurs to the sprinkler piping air releases. This causes the system to warn of a trouble condition, but it will not discharge water.
Pre-action systems are moderately more expensive than traditional wet pipe sprinkler systems. One of the main reasons NFPA 75 requires sprinklers in IT rooms in a building containing sprinkler technology is if the fire started in an unprotected IT area it could overwhelm the building’s sprinkler system. The two main fears of sprinklers in IT rooms mentioned earlier are unfounded. Few sprinklers activate in a fire and the risk of leaking pipes is low. Considering the large investment in IT systems and buildings, the additional cost of a pre-action sprinkler system used in conjunction with a clean agent extinguishing system is worth the additional cost. You will be in compliance with NFPA 75 and have the peace of mind complete protection affords.
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