_________ sprinkler systems should be used in buildings where insufficient heat is maintained.

• A. Deluge
• B. Pre-action
• C. Dry pipe
• D. Wet pipe

Answer: (C)

In buildings where heat isn’t reliably maintained, keeping water-filled piping in unheated spaces is risky because water can freeze and cause bursts. A dry pipe system solves this by keeping the pipes filled with pressurized air (or nitrogen) and storing the water in a separate tank. Water is released into the piping only when a sprinkler head is activated, so the pipes stay dry until needed. This minimizes the chance of freeze-related damage while still providing timely fire suppression. Wet pipe and deluge systems have water in the pipes at all times, which makes them more susceptible to freezing in unheated areas, and pre-action systems, while safer against accidental discharge, still don’t inherently avoid having water in the pipes unless configured as a dry system. Thus, the dry pipe option is the best fit for buildings with insufficient heat.