Fire extinguishers: smoke, fire, and kitchens

[Robin]

He says lobbying, they might say pointing out the costs to set against the benefits.

I think it worth noting that even the fire services aren't asking for the Welsh legislation to be copied. From the position statement from the National Fire Chiefs Council this year:

"NFCC support the concept of risk assessed retro fitting of sprinklers in existing buildings and would also welcome the prioritisation of a review of the Building Regulations (Approved Document B) to ensure fire safety requirements keep pace with new building developments. NFCC supports the mandatory installation of sprinkler systems in certain types of higher risk buildings such as nursing homes, and single staircase high rise buildings as two examples."

They also cite key points from the BRE report in 2012:

"Cost Benefit Analysis of Sprinklers: BRE Report ? Sprinklers are cost beneficial in the following premises: o Bedsits of six units or more; o Most purpose built blocks of flats; o All Care Homes"

[1]

[Thomas Prufer]

Wouldn't do for proscribed equipment, I'd think, as it's a stopgap. But then it's the price of a dinner with drinks....

I'd consider it the equivalent of a bucket of water or a hosepipe near a bonfire: prudent, a stopgap, not enough in some cases, but might just save your ass. And these work automatically, and are small enough that a "nuisance alarm" is a nuisance and not a catastrophe.

A residential sprinkler system that goes off unattended will flood the place eventually, possibly causing more damage than the bit of heat that set off a sprinkler head.

Thomas Prufer

[ARW]

Then just keep moving it until it no longer goes off.

[Andrew]

And social housing tenants who don't like where they live, are not above setting off sprinklers deliberately, which could cost £thousands in a tower block.

[Andrew Gabriel]

One brand of these was Kingston Fire Cable - I remember them strung across the boiler room when I was at school.

Given that I can find no reference whatsoever on google, I presume these were long gone before the Internet.

[Adam Funk]

...

It's hard to get those asbestos-cement boards these days!

[tabbypurr]

ISTR asbestos cement explodes in a fire.

NT

[spuorgelgoog]

There are modern equivalents that sense insulation resistance that changes with temperature:

FyreLine Analogue Linear Heat Detection cable is constructed using a pair of copper conductors coated in a temperature sensitive polymer whose resistance changes as a function of temperature. A calibration resistance (white) and average ambient temperature sensor (red) core are twisted with the two original conductors. A foil shield, outer sheath and optional protective coating is extruded over the twisted cores.

Owain

[spuorgelgoog]

We always used to have an asbestos simmering mat like thise

Horrible unhygienic things, getting encrusted with grease.

Owain

[Robin]

many ovens have a drip tray that will serve

indeed - or like, my maternal grandmother (born 1889) had much practice :)

[invalid]

And they don't work well unless the top of the pan is flat with no basket handles sticking up.