The sprinkler heads in my condominium unit look old and ugly. If possible, I would like that they will be replaced with new heads.

 

I know this is nothing for DIY and nothing for the "normal technicians" in the building.

 

I just saw a sign in the lift that next week some specialist company will come to our building to inspect the sprinkler system and smoke detectors. 

I guess I will speak to them, or the management, if they can check and maybe change the sprinklers in my unit.

 

Does anybody of you have any experience with this? Is it a major project because the system has to be shut down so that there is no pressure on the lines? Or are there just ordinary valves somewhere and it should be easy to "switch off" just a small area?

Is it complicated? Is it expensive?

 

Thanks for any information.

 

You could cover them with thin paper, this should not have any impact on them triggering and when they trigger the paper will just rip or dissolve.

 

There also seem to be special "sprinkler covers", just look it up on Google.

Wow, you live there do those even work?  I would be surprised looks unsafe and terrible you must live in a very old building.  If you have insurance on the property would they will cover you in case of fire damage?

Viking brass sprinkler heads are great.  Yours looks like a more involved project if you want to improve and modernize it with recessed heads.

Anyway, Viking makes great sprinkler heads they are available in Thailand and it is a U.S. company so you know the quality is fantastic. 

First thing to do is clarify if the sprinkler system in your condo is common property or not.

 

Generally, well built condos will have a floor control valve on each floor. Closing the valve will isolate the entire floor from the fire sprinkler system.

 

The entire zone will then need to be drained before work will commence.

 

As this is a life safety issue the juristic person would normally require a properly insured and equipped company to undertake such works, as all property in the disabled zone needs to be protected with temporary fire suppression equipment while works are carried out.

 

After, the system will need to be tested and recertified.

 

I guarantee you this will not be cheap if the company is trustworthy.

Thanks for your information so far.

 

The picture is from my unit, after we removed the old ceiling and before installing the new ceiling.

With the ceiling installed it doesn't look that bad. I guess the same is the case in many buildings.

 

We (my Thai renovation manager) will ask the professional company when they are here. Let's see what they say. Maybe part of their current visit to the building is that they replace sprinklers in the public section, I don't know. Let's see.

The zone / floor isolation valve is common practice. However, not trying to be synical, but I would check the valve is open, as well as the system is pressurised. Had an old office building years ago, where someone had turned off the iso valve to carry out some refurbishment works, but never turned it back on. It had been off for over 6 months!