All About Sprinkler Heads

The Parmelee sprinkler head, introduced in the United States in the 1870s, were primarily designed for fire protection. Overhead pipes are connected to the sprinkler heads, which are secured by heat-sensitive seals to obstruct water flow until such time a certain temperature is sensed. If and when this happens, either the seals melt or the glass bulbs break, triggering water to spray downward.

The sprinkler bulbs follow a color-coding scheme showing the various operating temperatures, depending on the hazard degree that the sprinkler system is guarding against. Sprinkler heads for residential areas have a low activation temperature to ensure a quick response to the situation. When a fire sprinkler is activated, it does not necessarily mean that the rest of the system will follow suit, because the sprinkler heads react independently of the temperature of the corresponding rooms.

Before purchasing a sprinkler head system, it is wise to analyze the features of the available models or units to determine which suits your watering needs best. Some factors to consider are the operating pressure, the flow range, the precipitation rate, the radius or arc of coverage, trajectory angles and nozzle options.

The three common types of sprinkler heads are the rotating heads, the bubblers and the spray heads, which are all suitable for conventional irrigation of potable water. For irrigation with treated wastewater, however, spray heads are preferred over the other two.

Home Page

Projects

About different sprinklers

Where to buy