Installed in ceilings or side walls, the system consists of a water supply, a water distribution piping system and sprinkler heads. The sprinkler discharges water automatically when a fire is detected, though it is not triggered by smoke. It controls or extinguishes the fire, so is both a fire detection and suppression system.
Sprinkler systems have been around since the late 19th century, when they were pioneered by Hiram Stevens Maxim. They are now extensively used worldwide, with over 40 million sprinkler heads fitted each year. A system will generally involve water being held under pressure in a network of pipes running through a building.
