iCO Products has announced that its concealed low-pressure water mist nozzle has successfully passed independent fire testing to BS EN 14972-17, the European test protocol for automatic water mist systems designed to protect residential occupancies.
The UK-based manufacturer confirmed that tests A–E were completed successfully at installation heights of 2.5m and 3.5m at Baltic Fire Laboratory, an ISO/IEC 17025-accredited facility accredited for the test method.
The achievement follows the withdrawal of BS 8458:2015 and the introduction of BS EN 14972-17, which establishes fire test requirements for residential water mist systems. The standard complements BS EN 14972-1, which covers system design, installation, inspection and maintenance.
According to iCO Products, its concealed low-pressure nozzle is the first of its type to pass the new test programme. The company has also previously announced that its high-pressure nozzle passed testing to the same standard.
The test results could support the specification of low-pressure water mist systems in residential environments, including care homes, houses in multiple occupation (HMOs), hostels and student accommodation.
iCO Products says systems incorporating the nozzle may offer an alternative to conventional sprinkler systems in suitable residential applications in buildings up to 45m high. However, installations must be appropriately designed and installed in accordance with BS EN 14972-1 and the manufacturer’s design, installation, operation and maintenance (DIOM) instructions. The maximum tested nozzle installation height is 3.5m.
Water mist technology uses fine water droplets to help control or suppress fires. Compared with conventional sprinkler systems, lower water demand can reduce the storage capacity required for water tanks and pumps, potentially freeing up valuable building space.
iCO Products claims its low-pressure systems can require up to 50% less stored water than conventional sprinkler systems, although actual savings will depend on the system design and application.
Greg Farmer, Business Development and Partnerships Manager at iCO Products, said: “We wanted to make sure our new concealed low-pressure nozzle had robust, independent evidence of its performance before we brought it to market, so successfully completing the BS EN 14972-17 testing is a really important milestone for us.”
