Fire Protection FAQs
Your overall fire protection system is one of the most important things you have in your building. Between your fire sprinkler system, fire extinguishers, fire alarms and exit lights, it’s imperative you keep your systems in proper working order at all times. However, many people are unclear on exactly what their fire protection systems actually do and how they work. At Confires, we want our customers to have the best information possible about their fire protection systems. That’s why we put together this list of the most common questions we get!
Fire Extinguisher FAQs
Q: How many fire extinguishers do I need in my building?
A: This depends on many factors, including the size, layout and occupancy levels in your building. In general, you want to have enough fire extinguishers in your building so that you never have more than75ft between any two Class A fire extinguishers and never more than 50ft between Class B fire extinguishers.
Q: Do I need to provide fire extinguisher training to my employees?
A: It is highly recommended that you train your employees on how to use a fire extinguisher. Having fire extinguishers in your building but no one who knowing how to use them is not much better than not having fire extinguishers at all!
Q: How often should I have my fire extinguishers inspected?
A: Per NFPA regulations, professional fire extinguisher inspections are required once a year. In addition, you should perform mini self-inspections every month in between professional service.
Click here for more information about monthly fire extinguisher inspections >>
Q: What kind of fire extinguisher do I need in my commercial kitchen?
A: Fire extinguishers for restaurant kitchens are known as Class K fire extinguishers. Class K fire extinguishers use a special process called saponification to put out fires caused by fats and oils by basically turning them into soap.
Whatever you do, make sure you never, ever put water on a flaming pan of oil. When water hits the pan, it sinks and vaporizes almost instantly, pushing the flaming oil up in a massive plume of flame.
Q: What is the best type of fire extinguisher for sensitive electrical equipment?
A: There are a variety of fire extinguishers that work well in environments with sensitive electronic equipment. The best are water mist, Halotron I and Cleanguard FE 36.
Fire Alarm FAQs
What kinds of fire alarms are there?
The most important thing to know about fire alarms is there are two types – ionization and photoelectric. Ionization fire alarms detect flaming, fast moving fires – curtain fires, trash can fires, etc. Photoelectric fire alarms are best for smoky, smoldering fires, such as electrical fires that start out behind walls. There are also dual sensor fire alarms which, naturally, combine both types into one.
Do I need a fire alarm system if I have a fire sprinkler system installed?
Short answer: yes. Even though fire sprinkler systems are highly effective fire protection systems, they only kick into gear after the fire has already started and the heat has risen to a certain level. Fire alarm systems, particularly smoke detectors, can detect smoke and other gases before the flames start, giving you extra time to escape the building. They can also automatically alert the fire department.
Is fire alarm monitoring worth it?
If you value your building and want to make sure it’s protected at all times, absolutely. A fire alarm monitoring service will keep tabs on your building 24-hours a day, 7 days a week. If one of your fire alarms goes off, the monitoring company will notify the fire department within seconds – you don’t even have to be there. Everyone has heard horror stories of people showing up to work and seeing the charred wreckage of what was once their office (and all their equipment, data, etc.) – don’t let this happen to you!
Why does my fire alarm constantly chirp or beep?
Most smoke alarms will chirp at regular intervals to indicate their batteries are low. If your fire alarms seem to be chirping at random intervals, there could be one of a number of things going on:
The battery may be loose or improperly installed – make sure the battery fits properly in the battery slot. Otherwise, the connections may not make good contact with the battery. If the battery wasn’t put into the slot properly, just pop it out and put it back in.
The fire alarm cover may be dirty – over time, dust and dead bugs can collect in the sensor chamber of your fire alarm, causing it to chirp. Make sure you keep the sensor chamber clean (the easiest way to do this is to vacuum it out every time you change the batteries). If the room in which you want to install the smoke detector is especially dusty, install an ionization fire alarm so the dust doesn’t affect it.
The fire alarm may need to be reset – most new electronic fire alarms come with logic boards that tell the alarm to chirp when the battery gets low. Unfortunately, replacing the battery doesn’t always stop the chirping! Sometimes you need to hit the RESET button in order to ensure the smoke detector works properly.
Power to the fire alarm has been interrupted – a power surge could interrupt power to the fire alarm, causing it to chirp when the power is restored. Hitting the RESET button should take care of the problem.
Fire Sprinkler FAQs
How do fire sprinklers work?
Wet pipe fire sprinklers hold water in a network of pipes hidden in your ceiling, held back at a certain pressure by your fire sprinkler heads. The fire sprinklers themselves are sealed by a small bulb filled with a heat sensitive liquid. When the liquid gets hot enough, it expands and bursts the bulb, causing water to shoot out of the sprinkler head. This lowers the pressure in the pipe network, causing the fire pump to kick on and supply more water.
How much do fire sprinklers cost?
Fire sprinklers (not including the pump) usually cost only about $2-4 per square foot, depending on your building type, the accessibility of your water supply and the occupation level and degree of hazard in your building. Retrofit operations will be slightly more expensive.
Can fire sprinklers be set off accidentally?
Yes, but it’s rare. Since fire sprinklers are activated by extremely high temperatures, you’ll rarely have situations where the sprinkler just goes off randomly. That said, it’s possible for the sprinkler heads to get knocked off or the bulbs inside to get broken, which would cause them to go off.
Don’t fire sprinklers cause water damage?
Yes. But consider the alternatives: either your building burns down, or the fire department arrives and basically floods your building until the fire dies down (remember, fire sprinklers deliver about 18 gpm, whereas firefighter hoses deliver 60 or more!).
If one fire sprinkler goes off, do they all go off?
Not necessarily. Remember, sprinkler heads are individually activated by heat, meaning they will only go off in direct response to a fire in their location.
If you have any additional questions about your fire protection system, or if you need fire sprinkler inspection, fire extinguisher replacement or any other fire protection system service in New Jersey, Delaware or Philadelphia, don’t wait – call the fire protection professionals at Confires today!
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