Sprinkler systems with ESFR (Early Suppression Fast Response) are a type of fire protection that responds quickly and puts out fires by spraying a lot of water on them. Most of the time, ESFR systems are used in warehouses that store things in high stacks. They are often used instead of sprinkler systems that are built into the racks.
Benefits of ESFR Systems
- ESFR systems respond to fires faster than traditional sprinkler systems.
- Conventional sprinkler systems put out 25–30 gallons of water per minute, while ESFR systems put out around 100 gallons of water per minute, which is a lot of water on the fire.
- ESFR systems use bigger drops of water than traditional sprinkler systems, so they put out fires faster.
- Early Suppression Fast Response systems can be used in warehouses with ceilings up to 45 feet high.
- Accidental leaks are less likely to happen with these systems than with in-rack sprinkler systems, whose pipes could leak if they were hit by equipment used to move goods.
- Sprinkler systems are usually used to put out fires. ESFR systems are made to put out fires right where they start.
- ESFR systems protect high-piled storage, such as palletized, solid pile, shelf, bin box, and rack storage
- It costs less to install an Early Suppression Fast Response system than it does to put in sprinklers in the racks.
When deciding if an ESFR system is right for your building, you should talk to a fire protection contractor and think about the types of products being stored, how they are being stored, and the building’s height and type. Because ESFR systems need a lot of water, a fire pump is usually needed for this type of system.