(Collingwood,
ON – April 12, 2013) In regards to water
damage, the fact is that insurance deductibles are increasing for commercial buildings
and residential facilities. In the interest of saving cash, building owners are
willing to pay more out of pocket for minor issues rather than watch their
premiums rise.
But
what if the damage has less to do with leaky pipes and failing fixtures and
involves the main sprinkler system? Industry experts explain why the amount of
damage inflicted by fire sprinkler activation should not be overlooked or
underestimated.
“A
fire sprinkler head that is activated and not immediately shut off can easily
cause tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage,” said Greg Patterson,
President of Shutgun, a tool designed to shut off fire sprinkler water flow
instantly.
Barry McGrory
is Labour manager with Commodore Builders, “In my experience, if a sprinkler is
set off in a condo or apartment building, the real damage is to the floors
below, so stopping the flow of water becomes even more critical for the owner.”
With
water from a sprinkler head releasing at flow
rates exceeding 25 gallons per minute, mere minutes can mean the
difference between a single room being out of operation for a few days to
multiple rooms on many floors being unavailable for weeks.
In
cases of water damage claims from sprinkler activation, only a small percentage
are the result of actual fires – the rest are accidental activations. This
leaves contractors, service people and maintenance personnel in a very
susceptible position.
Gregory Orndorff is with A1 FloodTech
and has witnessed firsthand, the harmful effects of water damage both on the
buildings and on a property’s insurance premiums.
“When
we get to a building and the flood is still occurring, the first thing we have
to do is stop the source of water,” he says.
In
many municipalities, the building manager is not allowed to shut off the
building’s main water supply until the fire department has arrived but can shut
off the activated sprinkler head. These minutes are crucial in terms of damage inflicted.
“If the building owner is assuming more responsibility in order to not put a claim on their insurance, then having a device to stop water flow becomes crucial if it means you are on the hook for every $5000, $15,000 or $35,000 issue.”
Shutgun
was designed with a built in fusible link, which releases and allows the
sprinkler head to reactivate, thus providing continued fire protection.
“Of
course, a building’s first priority is safety,” said Patterson. “If there is a
solution which allows you to operate ‘business as usual’ faster – I think building
managers would be wise to take it.”
-30-
Shutgun
has become a tool box staple for building managers, superintendents and
contractors. Conceived by a Toronto District Fire Chief of 35 years, Shutgun is
a one-handed, easy-to-use fire sprinkler shut off tool. Shutgun avoids shutting
off the main water supply to the sprinkler system, thus giving continued fire
protection to all units. Shutgun shuts off most types of sprinkler heads
including the semi-recessed style now popular in commercial complexes. www.shutgun.ca
Media: Amanda Sutton 705-791-7209 amanda@catalystcc.ca
Shutgun: Greg Patterson 1-866-827-8711 Greg@technicraftdesign.com
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