A fire suppression system, like a fire sprinkler system, is used to extinguish or control fires and is activated by heat, smoke, or a combination of the two. However, a fire suppression system uses gaseous, chemical, or foam fire suppression agents to suppress the fire, rather than water.
Because water can damage some types of property, such as electronics, areas like server rooms or semiconductor manufacturing facilities would benefit from a fire suppression system rather than a sprinkler system. For facilities that deal with highly combustible substances or oil and gas, a fire suppression system is also necessary, since water is not effective as a fire suppression agent when oil and certain other substances are combusted.