Colleges and Universities in the United States have been on a steady growth curve for the last 20 plus years. And, while most students don’t choose a college based on the presence of sprinklers, higher education administrators realized the safety of their students was an important feature for parents and began to retrofit dormitories with sprinklers and advertise their installation. As an industry, Fire Sprinkler manufacturers, engineers, and contractors have benefitted from both the increased awareness and concern for student safety and the growth of higher education campus infrastructure.
Continue reading AGF Goes to College →
In 2010, NFPA 13: Standard for the Installation of Automatic Sprinkler Systems adopted the new standard requiring the installation of pressure relief valves on all wet systems. Prior to 2010, pressure relief valves were only required downstream of pressure reducing valves and on gridded systems.
Continue reading Pressure Relief Valves in Wet Sprinkler Systems →
Corrosion is a continuous and virtually unstoppable force of nature, and it is on the rise. Corrosion occurs when the oxygen present in air trapped within fire sprinkler systems interacts with water or moisture and the metal pipes. Virtually all commercial fire sprinkler systems are susceptible to corrosion’s damaging effects.
It often starts with pinhole leaks, builds to mineral deposits that can clog pipelines, and ends with sprinkler pipes being destroyed from the inside out. In addition to attacking the sprinkler system, corrosion can also result in ceiling staining, water damage, mold growth, and even electrical system failure.
Corrosion monitoring is the key to addressing corrosion before it causes leaks and other damage.
Continue reading CORRinSITE – Reliable Corrosion Monitoring Made Simple →
Utah State University, located in the Northern Utah Mountains, is known for its top-notch academics and research and nationally recognized for its athletics. In August 2016, Utah State’s Division 1 Aggies return to their newly renovated and renamed football stadium for the start of the 2016 season.
While the fans, students, staff, and public celebrate the premium enhancements and state-of-the-art upgrades, they will also appreciate the safety improvements incorporated into the renovation. The kind of improvements most people never see or notice, but are critical to ensure the safety and protection of both lives and property.
AGF Manufacturing is proud to announce that our COLLECTanDRAIN® Model 5400 Auxiliary Drains are part of the Maverik Stadium Renovation.
Continue reading AGF’s COLLECTanDRAIN Part of Utah State’s Maverik Stadium Renovation →
According to a study initiated by NACE (National Association of Corrosion Engineers), the annual cost of corrosion is $276 billion dollars. It is estimated that corrosion in mechanical systems accounts for $69 billion when including all of the effects such as prevention, containment, remediation, and damage repair/replacement.
Continue reading The Price of Corrosion →
“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”
-Benjamin Franklin
These words ring just as true today as they did when they were first spoken.
Every year work routines are disrupted, revenue is lost, property is damaged, and thousands upon thousands of dollars are expended because an ounce of prevention is often overlooked until it is time for a pound of cure. This is usually the case when dealing with problems relating to a dry fire sprinkler system, especially in winter.
Continue reading Winterizing Dry Fire Sprinkler Systems →
The winter of 2012/2013 was still a painful memory for U-Haul Moving and Storage of Hanover in Massachusetts when they started experiencing similar system break downs due to freeze-ups at the beginning of this past winter. Rather than calling contractors back multiple times to fix the same “problem child” auxiliary drains, they decided to be proactive.
Continue reading No More Iced Storage in Hanover →
If your parking structure is enclosed, if the ceiling is less than 24 inches above grade, if your structure is of Type III or Type IV construction over 50 ft. in height, if your parking structure is immediately below or adjacent to a building used for another occupancy, chances are that it has a fire sprinkler system installed. And if you do have a sprinkler system installed in your parking structure the chances are good that it is a Dry System.
Continue reading Don’t Get Burned by Sprinkler System Freeze-Ups →
Like many in our industry, when I walk into a building I tend to look for and notice things differently than the usual visitor. I look for a sprinkler system. While some may choose to take the stairs for exercise, I do it to check out the building’s riser; it has just become a habit. What I am always most interested in is the collection of pipes, valves, fittings, and components that make up the Floor Control Assembly.
Continue reading A Marriage Made in a Stairwell →
