Everyone understands that the purpose of any fire suppression system is to protect both your employees and your property in the case of a fire in your workplace. There are, however, flaws that can impair a system’s ability to perform correctly.
The most frequent issues Fire Companies see while inspecting fire suppression system, as well as some things you can take to keep a look out for problems that could lead to them. A little preventive measure is worth a pound of cure, as we often say. Let’s get started!
Importance of Fire Suppression Systems
By preventing flames from spreading, a fire suppression system can improve overall facility safety. They’re frequently linked to fire detection and Fire alarm System, and they’re set up to operate automatically if conditions indicate a fire. An employee or other individual who discovers a fire can also manually activate some fire suppression systems.
Unlike fire extinguishers, which are designed to put out small, confined flames, fire suppression systems typically cover a broad area, ranging from a single room to the entire complex. The nozzles that discharge suppressants are usually located in the ceiling or other overhead places, with the nozzles reaching through ceiling tiles. They may have their own sensors that operate independently of your other smoke and heat detection equipment.
Failing Water Supply
It’s critical to keep the optimum amount of water pressure in your fire suppression system for it to work properly. To be honest, if your water pressure is extremely low, you’re essentially undermining the purpose of installing a system in the first place. The proper pressure must be maintained at all times, not only to achieve the desired level of suppression and radius, but also because fires can occur at any time.
When you have a fire safety professional in your office, have them conduct a risk-based study of your system and determine where your water originates from. With that knowledge, you’ll be able to see what kind of equipment you’ll need to make sure this doesn’t become a problem. And, if at all possible, ensure that those systems are tested.
Faulty Pumps
Larger, industrial buildings are more likely to have this issue. When it comes to smaller facilities, one system can usually get water from where it comes to where it has to go quite quickly. It’s more complicated with larger systems. Pumps can don’t deliver enough water to the connected systems, resulting in one or both systems failing to adequately battle fires.
Make sure that whichever fire suppression system you choose is compatible with the other systems you have installed. Make sure both systems have adequate water by using the correct size pump (or numerous pumps) to meet or exceed the need for higher water pressure. Finally, ensure sure there are no leaks. Because piping isn’t always flawless, getting ahead of problems like friction leaks by choosing the correct nozzle diameters and pipe fittings can be crucial.
CO2 does not reach the concentration required to put out a fire.
Suppression systems and other gas-based agents must produce a certain volume of those agents to put out or suppress the fire. CO2 will build up in close quarters to do this. However, much like any other fire safety device, these locations might deteriorate over time.
Make sure you walk through your system with your fire professional safety expert and learn about the different enclosures your system has at your next system inspection. This is significant because, depending on the space they’re supposed to cover, they may all have various discharge levels. From there, make sure that any test findings and agent information/levels are properly noted.
After all, these flaws are difficult to spot to the untrained eye. However, being proactive might help you prevent a lot of problems. You may accomplish this by 1.) arranging frequent, continuing maintenance and 2.) consulting pros and conducting your own 10-minute walkthrough once a month or so. Simply doing so will put you well ahead of any potential problems that could lead to dysfunction in the future.
