more difficult to own, sort of the like the difference between a moped and a Formula One racer: They can both go from home to the office, but the ride will be different. Why should you avoid a dry system? There are a few reasons. Dry systems are more complex, with their dry-valve and air compressor to keep the pipes full of compressed air, and they seem to require more regular monitoring. And despite our best efforts, that air often contains moisture which condenses inside the pipes. Over time that moisture usually begins to deteriorate the interior of the sprinkler piping, which can create havoc with your system. In some areas where “aggressive” moisture-induced deterioration occurs in sprinkler piping,

the pipes can deteriorate from the inside out very quickly, sometimes in just a few years. I’ve seen sprinkler systems that are 10 years old require re-piping. Also, there are tales that a dry system is not as good since it takes time for the water to get to an open sprinkler head allowing a fire to grow in size. Realistically, however, when properly designed this is not the case. The upfront investment and long-term costs of a dry system are simply more expensive than a wet system. What do future articles bring? We should probably talk about options for sprinkler piping materials and the sprinkler heads themselves. We should also talk about the necessary components of a sprinkler system

where the water supply is a cistern, as that means you’ll be the proud owner of your very own fire pump, yet another misnomer as it doesn’t pump fire. More things to keep your distillery code-compliant and safe. Until then, happy holidays and best wishes for a wonderful 2017!

Shawn Bergeron is an NFPA and ICC certified fire protection specialist and building official with Bergeron Technical Services in North Conway, New Hampshire. For more info or assistance call (603) 356-0022 or visit www.bergerontechnical.com. They will be happy to help you with your distillery no matter how near or far.

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