A common misunderstanding is that automatic fire sprinkler protection is not needed in cold environments because everything is frozen and the chance of a fire occurring is viewed as minimal. However, history has shown that cold environments do burn and major losses due to fire have been recorded. Annual National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) estimates include 137 fires in freezers or cold storage areas, resulting in more than $32 million in direct property losses.
Providing automatic fire sprinkler protection in areas subject to the cold will provide an increased level of property protection, as well as reduce the risk to people who must be in these cold areas. In many cases, sprinkler protection is mandated by the jurisdiction’s building code or fire code. When sprinkler protection is installed in cold environments, additional precautions must be utilized to ensure that the sprinkler system will operate properly when needed.