Pre-action fire suppression systems protect locations where any accidental water discharge must be prevented. These kinds of water sensitive sites include for example data centers, museums, archives, and heritage buildings. Pre-action systems provide peace of mind that they will not activate unless there actually is a fire. This minimizes the risk of any unnecessary water damage to valuable artifacts.

The Marioff HI-FOG® water mist system protects hundreds of large data centers and computer rooms worldwide with pre-action fire suppression systems. Watch the video at the end of this page to learn more about how the HI-FOG system can protect water sensitive sites such as data centers.

How does the HI-FOG pre-action fire suppression system work?
  • Pre-action fire suppression systems are similar to dry pipe fire suppression systems except that they are connected to a fire detection system. The piping is dry under normal conditions, and water flow is prevented by a valve.
  • In pre-action systems fire detectors are installed throughout the protected area. When they detect that a fire is developing, a signal is sent to the section valve of that area and water is distributed to the tubing network.
  • However, actual water discharge does not start until a heat-sensitive glass bulb breaks inside the sprinklers. This allows the water to discharge as high-pressure water mist to the area of the fire.

In sum, a pre-action fire suppression system requires both a signal from the fire detection system and the sprinkler bulb to break for water to be discharged. Therefore it is an ideal solution for water sensitive environments where the risk of false discharge needs to be minimized.