Remember that day when you are applying for a job? As you enter the building, you were thinking that you’ll work in that place, walking around you find yourself looking and wondering where the emergency exit is or asking yourself if their sprinkler system is working or where you can find the fire extinguisher? When you were looking for an apartment, the first question that you looked at is, what is their emergency floor plan and if they have an up-to-date fire suppression system.
Safety is one of the things that you should prioritize over anything else. It is a factor that every person considers before making a decision, and whether it be a big decision or a small decision, safety is always on the list of things to consider. There are different instances in life where you will realize that it did take a significant role. It could save countless lives, properties, and equipment without too much downtime.
When you started looking for a place to settle, you may have gone to multiple open houses, inspecting and asking everything about every inch of the place, checking if there is a fire alarm system installed, is there a fire extinguisher? If not, you are already thinking of getting one installed.
In the past few years, there has been an increase in the number of fire accidents. The majority of these fire accidents happen at home and restaurants where a fire is prone to happen. Compared to industrial and commercial buildings, households barely have a fire extinguisher available.
There are additional recent cases of wildfires spreading all over, destroying millions of dollars of properties, and endangering the people
‘s safety. Part of a human’s survival instinct is to identify the possible threat and dangers no matter what form. It is best to know and understand what fire alarms and fire suppressant systems suit your need better.
What is a fire suppression system?
Fire suppression systems are a set of units specially engineered to extinguish and suppress a fire. The system is designed and built to prevent the spread of fire mainly and can detect fire, thanks to the built-in components that help in its detection at an early stage through different warning signals such as smoke and heat. It is commonly confused with s sprinkler system and fire alarm systems.
Property and business owners are aware of how important it is to have the best and correct fire suppression system for their properties and businesses. The right fire suppression system is a huge help, but getting the wrong one can damage a bigger scale than the actual fire. So before you get a fire suppression system, it is essential to consult with a professional.
Different types of Fire Suppression System
- Clean Agent Fire Suppression System – is a gaseous fire extinguishing agent that leaves a clean mark. Once it evaporates, it does not leave any mark at all. The chemicals used in clean agent fire suppression are environment friendly, fast-acting, safe, and clean, and is also one of the most effective suppression system available. The three most popular clean agents are inert gases, FM 200, and Novec 1230. Inert gases are a combination of nitrogen, argon, and CO2 (Carbon Dioxide). Then, it is stored in gas form and takes up to a minute to discharge. FM 200 (Heptafluoropropane) is made up of hydrogen, fluorine, and carbon and is known to be the fastest extinguishing agent at a top speed of 10 seconds. FM 200 can reach extinguishing levels in ten seconds and stored as compressed liquefied gas. The third one is Novec 1230, originally designed to be a replacementfor halo and hydrofluorocarbon (HFC), made of fluorinated ketone, is the safest clean agent that is available in the market. It contains fluorine, carbon, and oxygen and has a discharge time of 10 seconds, which is on par with FM 200.
- Carbon Dioxide Fire Suppression System – CO2 or carbon dioxide is the primary component of this fire suppressant. It discharges carbon dioxide to fill up space, which results in a massive drop in oxygen – which is necessary for a fire to continue burning. The residue of this suppressant is minimal and barely requires downtime.
- Restaurant Fire Suppression System – is a suppressant system specially designed and built for kitchens. Because of the design and installation of commercial kitchen equipment, nozzles are placed beneath the cooker canopies for better suppression. The nozzles extinguish the fire using a water-based agent mixed with a chemical foam type, and due to the risk of flammability of the location, it usually has a heat link and a manual pull switch.
- Water Mist Fire Suppression System – water mist system uses very tiny water sprays. The water mist sprayed around the fire allows it to extinguish and suppress the fire by cooling the area and lowering the oxygen level by expulsing a massive amount of evaporation. The effectivity of this system is reliant on a lot of factors like spray dynamics, flux density, and droplet size.
- Foam Deluge System – Similar to the expanding agent in a typical fire extinguisher, foam deluge system uses foam concentrate combined with water and is most suitable for areas where you cannot use water or gas. It is most suited for external use, such as transformers and oil tanks, but can be quite a mess that will require heavy cleaning after.
- Pneumatic Heat Detection Tube – From the name itself, this system has a valve and a heat detection tube with two functions – detection and propellant for the extinguishing agent. Once the pipe detects a certain temperature level, a small pressurized hole is blown, and the extinguishing agent is applied directly to the area that started the fire.
Fire suppression systems have a lot of benefits and advantages. One of them is the safety of use. As long as it is installed appropriately and religiously maintained, it is effortless and safe to use as most of the suppression systems are automatic. Second, suppression systems can easily detect the start of the fire. Early detection will help prevent significant damages and save lives, properties, and equipment, which will help avoid substantial financial loss and lose a valuable employee or friend.
Another advantage of a fire suppression system is that it can be installed almost everywhere from machinery, kitchen, computer room, etc. Because of the way that the systems are engineered, it is guaranteed to work in emergency cases.
Serving the areas of Utah, Idaho, and Wyoming, Protek FS has been providing quality installations to numerous clients and have listed at least 60 successful cases. Protek FS has professional experience that has put them on top of the competition. Protek FS was built because of the desire to provide quality service at a reasonable price, which big companies are almost failing to do. If you want to get a quotation or consultation, feel free to contact Protek FS.
