Fire sprinklers are constructed around a very simple premise: a sprinkler head is connected to a water source and plugged with a device or substance that will dissolve, melt or break in the presence of heat. There are no moving parts or digital components. Even in today’s most cutting-edge sprinkler systems, the basic premise is the same.

In the early 1800’s, fire was a serious risk in man-made buildings everywhere. Candles and fireplaces were the main sources of light and heat, flammable materials were everywhere, and people were not highly educated on fire safety issues. Like other public buildings, theatres presented huge fire risks since they needed considerable light to illuminate the action on stage. 

The world’s first fire sprinkler system for practical use was built into the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane in London in 1812. The system incorporated an airtight reservoir of approximately 95,000 litres of water, connected to a 10-inch water pipe that branched out throughout the theatre. The larger piping connected to a series of smaller pipes with periodic holes half an inch wide, designed to release water in the case of fire.

This wasn’t an automatic fire sprinkler system; it had to be activated manually. These systems were in common use as late as 1885 in textile mills throughout New England.  However, inventors were already beginning to experiment with the first automatic fire sprinkler systems by 1860, and the first official patent for an automatic system was given in 1872.

However, the man who was later considered the father of the automatic sprinkler system was Henry S. Parmelee of New Haven, Connecticut.  He improved upon the existing patent, developing a system that could be installed into his own piano factory. He continued to refine the design, developing a fully automatic fire sprinkler system patented in 1881. In 1880, he invented an automatic sprinkler system activated by a glass bulb containing heat-sensitive substances that expanded and shattered the glass in the presence of fire. This simple system is essentially the same as that of many systems in use today.

Fire sprinkler systems were in wide use in commercial buildings by the 1940’s. Insurance companies encouraged manufacturers, retail establishments and other businesses to install them with considerable discounts in premiums.  As the systems evolved and became more dependable, they became required in hospitals, schools and some other public buildings in some areas of the US—although it was rare to find statutes requiring their installation in other countries.

But fire sprinkler systems afforded residential buildings the same protection they gave commercial and public buildings. As the public became more conscious of fire safety, fire sprinklers in residential buildings became more and more common. While it’s rare to find laws mandating fire sprinkler installation in new development, increasing demand among homeowners has led some developers to install them in new buildings.  Advances in fire sprinkler construction have led to the development of systems that are unobtrusive, cost-effective, and ideally suited to a residential environment.