- Bo Hjorth of the National Fire Prevention Association writes that rust and corrosion of sprinkler systems causes "not one but many problems" by affecting both the "operational reliability as well as for the performance reliability" of the system. Plugged piping and clogging of control valves are two common consequences of rust and corrosion buildup in a sprinkler system. A secondary problem associated with rust is the high cost of repairing or replacing a sprinkler system compromised by rust.
- Since corrosion is a more or less inevitable consequence when using a sprinkler system, prevention is usually achieved using corrosion control products and devices that integrate into the sprinkler system. Pre-Engineered Nitrogen Generation Systems prevent corrosion by removing virtually all oxygen from the sprinkler system when the system is not in use. PENGs also work over time to remove excess moisture from the sprinkler system, moisture that can easily lead to rusting if left uncontrolled.
- Automatic air vents are another effective means for preventing corrosion in sprinkler systems. Since oxygen in parts of the sprinkler system is one of the primary causes of corrosion, automatic air vents periodically remove oxygen from the system's piping while the system is not in use. Sprinkler systems will almost always include manual air vents for the same purpose, but installing an automatic air vent saves the operator from having to access and operate air vents on a regular basis.
- A key part of preventing sprinkler system problems resulting from rust and corrosion is to monitor the system for any potential corrosion, so that you can act to remove the corrosion before it damages your system. To this end, corrosion monitoring systems are well worth the investment. These devices attach to a sprinkler system and use probes to alert sprinkler system owners when there may be corrosion present on the inside of the system.
Rust & Corrosion
Prevention with PENGs
Automatic Air Vents
Corrosion Monitoring Systems
SHARE
