Which sprinkler head orientation is typically ceiling-mounted and hangs downward toward the occupied space?

• A. Pendant
• B. Upright
• C. Sidewall
• D. Concealed

Answer: (A)

Understanding sprinkler head orientation helps explain how water is delivered into the room. Pendant heads are designed to be mounted from the ceiling and hang down into the occupied space, so the spray is directed downward toward the area people occupy. This makes pendant the typical choice when the system is ceiling-mounted and you want the water to cover the floor below. Upright sprinklers are also ceiling-mounted but have the deflector oriented toward the ceiling, causing the spray pattern to project upward and then down toward the space. Sidewall sprinklers are mounted on walls and spray across the room, not downward from the ceiling. Concealed sprinklers sit behind a cover plate and become visible only when activated. So, a ceiling-mounted head that hangs downward into the space is a pendant.