Water companies have been in calls for households to stop using sprinklers and hosepipes as dry weather throughout the spring and August coupled with the UK lockdown has seen UK water usage soar.
iNews reported back in June that water usage had gone up by roughly 900 Olympic-sized swimming pools per day, with some areas using up to 40 per cent more water than normal for that time of year.
On average, it was reported that people are using around 20 per cent more water a day, equalling around 2.2 billion litres.
Industry association Water UK has said that while water supplies are unlikely to run out following a rainy and stormy winter period, it is very possible that water pressure could drop during peak times, affecting flow.
And during such hot weather, a robust water supply is key to safety because of its importance to fire sprinkler systems.
Of course, unlike their garden sprinkler counterparts, a fire sprinkler system cannot simply be turned off and must remain operational to fight potential fires at any time. In order to do this, as Dorset-based fire sprinkler expert firm provider Domestic Sprinklers Ltd outline in their basic specifications for such a system, fire sprinkler supply pipes must be permanently charged with water from main domestic water systems, or at the very least have access to a sufficient supply of water stored at the building.
Water pressure issues brought about by overuse are unlikely to bode well for the efficient operation of such systems, leaving firms needing to be ready to provide solutions to any such issues.
Furthermore, insurance companies have also been vocal in warnings that fire-related home insurance claims have been on the rise during the warmer months of the year.
Multiple insurers have reported an increase in home insurance claims following fires started at households, with both indoor and outdoor fires proving troublesome, including in some cases exploding gas canisters causing gardens and houses to set ablaze and heat coming from barbecues stationed close to the home being enough to melt conservatories, according to Aviva.
Direct Line reported that the increase of people staying at home during lockdown, coupled with increased electricity usage, has seen a surge of accidental fire damage claims including from kitchen fires.
With the risks on the increase during this time, the harsh reality of just how serious fire hazards can be could prompt some individuals into seriously considering purchasing a fire sprinkler system for their home, which could lend a significant boost to providers and installers of such safety systems.
Indeed, according to Domestic Sprinklers, the cost is not as substantial as consumers may immediately think, having indicated that for new builds a sprinkler system usually costs between £10 and £15 per square metre, or around £2,500 for a modern, three bedroom house.
Domestic Sprinklers says in its mission statement: “We certainly cannot expect the fire brigade to respond any quicker [than it already does to fires]. In fact, with modern traffic causing so much congestion, response times are likely to get worse - not better.
“What we can do is to turn from passive fire protection to active fire protection with residential sprinkler systems.”
During these warmer months when fire risks are on the up, the prospect leaves plenty of food for thought for households.
