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What is Sprinkler Corrosion?

Sprinkler Corrosion

Many business owners fail to remember the impact that corrosion can have on the pipes of their sprinkler system. Inspections will allow specialists to identify and correct sprinkler corrosion within your system. If sprinkler corrosion is left alone, it could cause your system to malfunction, leak, or not activate when needed.

There are two types of sprinkler corrosion to be aware of. Oxygen exposure is the most common cause of sprinkler corrosion. Oxygen gas accounts for about 90% of all corrosion cases in sprinkler systems. The other cause of sprinkler corrosion is known as “microbiologically influenced corrosion”. This is caused by the bacteria found within the pipes of your sprinkler system. The bacterium is typically introduced to your system during the installation of the piping for the sprinkler system. MIC is only responsible for about 10% of all corrosion cases in sprinkler systems.

Oxygen corrosion occurs in both dry and wet piping sprinkler systems. Dry piping systems use gas pressure from a compressor in order to function properly. The oxygen gas used in this compression system causes the sprinkler corrosion, which can lead to leaks and malfunctions. Wet piping systems typically require draining and filling at some point. During this process, oxygen is able to enter the piping system, leading to corrosion.

In order to prevent sprinkler corrosion, nitrogen gas is being used to prevent oxygen exposure within the pipes. Nitrogen generators are replacing other compressors within dry piping systems to remove oxygen gas from the system. In wet piping systems, nitrogen gas is used to replace oxygen gas within the system. A vent is also used to allow oxygen gas to escape the pipes.

At Fireline, we understand the importance of preventing and addressing sprinkler corrosion within your sprinkler systems. We specialize in fire system inspection and fire system installation to prevent sprinkler corrosion in your system. If your fire system isn’t working properly, many lives can be placed in danger due to the lack of fire safety in a building. Leaks can also cost your business, so avoid wasting money by scheduling a fire system inspection through Fireline.





This entry was posted on Wednesday, September 24th, 2014 at 3:09 pm. Both comments and pings are currently closed.