The technology isn’t new, but the National Fire Protection Association recently formed the Committee on Water Mist Systems to further research the topic, so we thought we would take this opportunity to explain a bit about these systems, including their potential benefits.

Water misting systems have become a significant growth area in the realm of fire suppression systems, says Massoud Farazandeh, general manager of the San Francisco fire protection company Nationwide Fire Protection Corp., which is an affiliate of American Professional Services.

These systems typically are used in a wide range of commercial, industrial and institutional special hazard applications. They were introduced in the 1940s. We attribute the recent increased popularity of these systems in a broader range of uses mainly to the fact that Halon 1301 is being phased out.

Halon suppression systems function with halon gas. However, halon was identified as an ozone-depleting compound in the 1980s, so installation of new halon systems is allowed only when it can be demonstrated that there is no other viable option, says Farazandeh, a Los Angeles and San Francisco fire sprinkler system expert.

How Do Water Mist Systems Work?
Water misting systems suppress fire in three ways: through heat absorption, oxygen depletion and by blocking radiant heat.

Water mist systems typically are unaffected by the integrity of the enclosure, according to information posted on the Fire Safety, Inc. Website. These systems’ tiny water droplet size promotes rapid cooling of the fuel and fire plume. The fire ultimately is extinguished as a result of oxygen depletion.

Benefits of Water Mist Systems
The benefits of these systems abound, says Farazandeh, whose company sells and installs San Francisco fire systems. Because these types of fire systems are safe for human exposure, they allow for automatic and immediate manual release.
Today’s water mist systems go beyond traditional sprinkler systems by offering increased water use efficiency. The ability of small droplets to create steam at the fire source makes fine misting systems more efficient than traditional sprinkler methods of fire suppression.

Water is an environmentally friendly method of fire suppression, and it naturally absorbs heat, Farazandeh says. Manipulating water pressure and varying the nozzle design can increase the surface area of water droplets and create a larger spray area in the event that a fire suppression system must be activated.

Applications
Water misting fire suppression systems are suited to many industrial situations, as well as off-shore and shipping environments. The misting nozzles offer protection from electric shock, and the misting systems have advantages in cooling machinery, which make them well-suited to these situations, Farazandeh says.

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Fire broke out at the Yen Ching Chinese Restaurant and damaged the first floor, according to a Times-Standard article. Smoke damaged the second and third floors, which were either empty or used for storage.

Damages were estimated at $100,000 in lost contents and $150,000 in structural damage, the article stated. Representatives from the Eureka Fire Department said the fire could have been extinguished, had an automatic fire sprinkler system been installed.

“This restaurant owner likely would be facing but a small portion of the damage they are dealing with now, had they been proactive and installed a fire suppression system,” said Massoud Farazandeh, who serves as general manager of Nationwide Fire Protection Corp., a Los Angeles fire sprinkler system installer. NFP is an affiliate of American Professional Services (APS-Hoods) and opened a fabrication facility in Placentia in 2009 to better meet the demand for fire sprinkler system jobs through California. “Instead, the owners now likely face a few months of repairs before they can reopen.”

Fire suppression systems in restaurants are designed to quickly identify and extinguish a fire, Farazandeh said. They are credited with saving millions of dollars in damages to restaurants every year.

“It’s a shame to see restaurants in operation today without these valuable systems,” he said. “Unfortunately, some restaurants are grandfathered in and are not required to have them. This probably was one of those situations.”

Farazandeh uses unfortunate incidents such as this recent fire to educate restaurant owners and managers on the importance of having a suppression system in place.

“I often hear from owners that they can’t afford a fire suppression system, or they don’t want to bother with it because they aren’t required to have it,” he said. “My response to them always is, ‘Can you afford to lose your restaurant to a fire?”

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Maintaining a routine cleaning schedule should be viewed from a fire safety standpoint, not as a janitorial service, said Massoud Farazandeh, general manager of Nationwide Fire Protection Corp., a Los Angeles fire sprinkler system installer and an affiliate of American Professional Services (APS-Hoods).

“When a hood is professionally cleaned, it helps prevent costly damage by removing fire hazards from the area where most restaurant fires originate,” said Farazandeh, a Los Angeles fire suppression system expert.

Hood cleaning involves areas around fire suppression systems, as well. According to the National Fire Protection Association Code, hood cleaners should take care not to get any caustic chemicals inside the bracket where the fusible link is located. If grease begins to accumulate inside the pipe, Farazandeh recommends that the fire suppression system installer be called to replace the pipes or to clean them themselves.

Hood cleaners also take care to ensure that the red caps on fire suppression nozzles remain in place during and after cleaning. If they are left hanging off, grease will build up and clog the nozzles. In the event that the fire suppression system is activated, clogged nozzles could impede the system from extinguishing the fire.

Cleaning these systems requires more than combining soap, water and elbow grease, said the Los Angeles fire system expert. The grease that builds up in a kitchen presents a special fire hazard that must be removed with special chemicals and high-powered machinery used by trained professionals.

National Fire Protection Association Standard 96 outlines the minimum fire safety requirements related to the design, installation, operation, inspection and maintenance of all public and private commercial-grade cooking operations.
These requirements include grease removal devices; exhaust hoods, ductwork and fans; dampers, fire extinguishing equipment and components or systems involved in capturing, containing and controlling grease buildup.

“The provisions of this standard are key in providing a reasonable level of protection from loss of life and property from fire and explosion,” according to the International Kitchen Exhaust Hood Cleaning Association website.

Regular maintenance of a restaurant’s kitchen exhaust system is an integral part of defending a kitchen against fire hazards, according to the IKEHCA website. Keeping your system working at its best means you exhaust smoke and grease from the building to provide a cleaner, cooler kitchen and better working environment for your staff.

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“Many restaurants and catering services today are equipped with fire suppression systems because they are required by law,” said Massoud Farazandeh, a fire suppression system professional and general manager of Nationwide Fire Protection Corp., a Placentia and Bay Area fire protection company. “We are using incidents such as the Sunrise Catering fire to appeal to older restaurants and catering services who have been grandfathered in and lack fire suppression systems that although not required by law, we strongly recommend that they be added.”

The Sunrise Catering fire happened the morning of Nov. 19 and started in one of the business’s catering trucks, according to a news report by SacMav Rapid Media.

The fire originated in one catering truck and activated a fire sprinkler system, which broke off four sprinkler heads and prevented the fire from spreading to other catering trucks that were parked under a long carport at the business. The catering truck where the fire originated was destroyed in the fire.

The business owner told SacMav reporters he believed the driver of the catering truck left a coffee pot on in the truck so water would be hot when work started Friday morning.

These are precisely the types of instances that suppression systems are designed to address, said Farazandeh, whose Bay Area fire sprinkler system company installs the type of system that activated to prevent this fire from spreading.
“Our Bay Area fire suppression systems help save lives and prevent more extensive property damage,” he said. “We really hope that some of these older restaurants that have been holding out on installing fire suppression systems will take note of this recent fire and take measures to ensure their structures are safe in the event of a fire.”

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Each of these agents is designed for use in specific applications.

When it comes to restaurant kitchens, wet or dry chemical agents are used in fire suppression applications, said Massoud Farazandeh, CEO of Nationwide Fire Protection Corp., which he founded in 1989. NFP is a Placentia and Bay Area fire protection company that specializes in fire suppression systems for restaurants and commercial kitchens throughout the United States.

Because kitchen hood systems are situated above fryers, grills and other cooking appliances and they help exhaust cooking odors and grease, they are an ideal location for installing fire suppression nozzles that can discharge a fire suppression agent in the event of a fire in or near a grill or fryer.
“The area above kitchen hoods is prone to grease buildup, which means that fire nozzles are a necessity,” said Farazandeh, a Bay Area fire sprinkler system expert. “Grease acts as fuel in the event of a fire.”

Wet and dry chemical systems smother a fire. Routine inspections are necessary to ensure this type of system functions properly when necessary.
Halon is considered a “clean” agent, meaning that it leaves no residue behind when a fire suppression system is activated. However, it was recognized in the 1980s as an ozone-depleting compound.

These days, installation of halon fire suppression systems is allowed in applications where it can be demonstrated that other alternatives are not viable. These systems tend to be used in high tech areas such as computer rooms that cannot tolerate extensive collateral damage from fire suppression systems.
Besides its ozone-depleting properties, another major drawback to using halon is that recharging these systems is expensive, Farazandeh said.

Carbon dioxide systems traditionally are used for protecting areas such as solvent rooms, according to information posted on the University of Wisconsin- Madison website. This is what is known as a “total flooding” system, which requires the door and vents to the room where the system is discharged to remain shut when the system is activated.

Although highly effective, this system is dangerous if a person is trapped in the room because it displaces oxygen when discharged. Due to that fact, carbon dioxide suppression systems have a pre-discharge alarm, which gives people working in the area time to get out before any carbon dioxide is released.

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The NEC sets the standard for electrical installations and the safe use of electricity. It is the most widely used code for the built-environment in the world, according to the National Fire Protection Association, which publishes the code.

The 2011 NEC is the 52nd Edition of the code and 2011 marks 100 years of NFPA sponsorship.

For customers of Nationwide Fire Protection Corp., a Los Angeles fire suppression system installer, changes in the code book won’t mean much, said Massoud Farazandeh, a fire protection engineer and the company’s general manager.

“We do more than abide by those codes,” said Farazandeh, a Los Angeles fire suppression expert. “We have a history of ensuring that our work far exceeds the code, which often is a bare minimum requirement. We don’t focus on minimum standards. Instead, we set higher standards to better address safety and longevity of equipment.”

The National Fire Protection Association offers a free preview of the 2011 edition of the National Electrical Code to visitors to its website. Visitors must select a one-day preview from necplus® to view the code.

Hundreds of changes are included in the 2011 NEC that directly affect electrical installations nationwide, according to an August NFPA press release. It also includes expanded coverage of alternative energy sources and green technologies and new requirements that focus efforts on protecting electrical personnel from deadly hazards.

The NFPA has served as the developer and publisher of the National Electrical Code since 1911.”For our customers, the good news is even though the new book is out, our current standards far exceed the code’s standards,” said Farazandeh, a Los Angeles fire sprinkler system

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Even when not in use, equipment under a hood system can cause a fire or fuel a fire that started elsewhere, said Massoud Farazandeh, who serves as general manager of Nationwide Fire Protection Corp., a Los Angeles fire sprinkler systems company and affiliate of American Professional Services (APS-Hoods).

“In the event of a building fire, kitchen gas lines and cooking equipment continue to be a place for explosions to occur, even if the equipment isn’t in regular use,” Farazandeh said. “We suggest that semiannual fire suppression inspections be conducted for such facilities.”

The reasoning behind this is to ensure that even if something sparks, the suppression system will prevent it from causing explosions or becoming a building fire.

The Los Angeles fire suppression systems expert said these inspections should be of particular importance to building owners who have leased out space to restaurant owners and the businesses since have closed, particularly if those businesses closed due to poor sales or the lagging economy.

“When restaurants aren’t viable and begin to go under, things such as routine hood cleanings and fire suppression system maintenance may fall by the wayside as priorities, because all efforts have shifted to just keeping the doors open,” Farazandeh said. “By the time a restaurant finally closes, these routine tasks could be months off schedule.”

What is left behind often are kitchen hoods, ducts and fans that are caked with grease that can fuel a fire.

Because Farazandeh’s company offers commercial kitchen hood cleaning services in addition to fire protection services, his employees often discover hood systems in need of cleaning when on fire system inspection calls, he said. In those cases, Farazandeh offers his cleaning recommendations to the property owner.

Particularly in cases where restaurants now sit idle, Farazandeh recommends that building owners have the unused hood systems cleaned to remove all grease buildup. This way, the potential fuel is eliminated. It also can create a good selling point for the next restaurant owner who considers the space.

“Coming into a space already set up to operate a restaurant with equipment that is clean and ready to go can be enticing to a restaurant owner looking for a place to locate his or her business,” he said.

Once the system is cleaned, it won’t need to be cleaned again until use resumes. Fire suppression systems, however, must continue to be inspected every six months.

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Much can be avoided in the event of a fire if the fire system functions properly, said Massoud Farazandeh, general manager of Nationwide Fire Protection Corp., a San Jose fire sprinkler system installation and maintenance company.

In the Sept. 9 explosion, a natural gas line sent up a geyser of fire that killed four people, injured several others, destroyed 53 homes and damaged another 120 or so, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

“It is just as likely that this explosion could have happened in a retail district filled with bars, restaurants and other businesses,” Farazandeh said. “These establishments are required to have fire suppression systems unless they have been around for many years and have been grandfathered in.”

Even though many eating establishments have fire suppression systems, many of them fail to maintain those systems. That means they may not function properly in the event of a disaster such as the gas pipeline explosion.

“In a horrific event such as the explosion, you need to have your fire suppression system in top-notch functioning order if there is any hope of protecting your business,” said the Placentia and San Jose fire suppression system expert.

Inspections should be performed every six months and should include the following tasks:

• Test to ensure proper functioning of gas automatic shut-off valve.
• Trip the system from the pull station.
• Trip the fire system from the terminal link.
• Check to confirm the cable for the fusible links, brackets, CO2 cartridges, mechanical head and other parts of the fire system are in good condition.
• Inspect ducts and plenum for grease buildup, which can fuel a fire.
• Make sure nozzles provide proper coverage over kitchen equipment.
• Make sure nozzles are properly capped.
• Ensure the pull pin and the seal are replaced properly and the system is tagged.

Fire equipment that should be inspected routinely includes alarm and fire detection systems, sprinkler systems and portable fire extinguishers. Gaseous, foam and powder extinguishing systems and smoke control systems also should be inspected, Farazandeh said.

Restaurant owners should ensure that inspectors look at indicating devices and safety clips on fire extinguishers to determine whether they have been used, and recharge them if necessary.

Restaurants should have an inspector conduct a discharge test as needed to make sure the system functions properly. At this time, inspectors also can check for corrosion or lining damage before refilling and recharging the system.

Farazandeh recommends doing this test every five years for extinguishers that are foam, water or powder-based. Primary seal powder extinguishers can be tested every 10 years. Co2 extinguishers should be completely overhauled every 10 years.

The basic requirement in any premises is the presence of fire fighting equipment that is in good operating condition. The regular maintenance checks with a suitable plan are highly essential. The equipment has to be maintained to fulfill the relevant standards and conditions according to the Regulatory Reform Order 2005. This ensures safety of people and businesses, and is also responsible for the right kind of confidence among people in their environment.

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Constructing and installing a proper fire suppression system and kitchen hood system tends to be the most intricate and expensive part of the process, said Massoud Farazandeh, general manager of Nationwide Fire Protection Corp., a Bay Area fire protection company and affiliate of American Professional Services (APS-Hoods).

Because of that, it is important to entrust that part of the construction project to companies that can ensure systems are constructed and installed in a manner that promotes equipment safety, efficiency and longevity, said Farazandeh, a Bay Area fire detection systems expert. For about two years, NFP has promoted its turnkey services throughout California, due to the steady stream of new restaurants opening throughout the state.

“Our turnkey operation has helped us become as successful as we are because many restaurant owners don’t want the hassle of having to deal with the details that go into constructing a restaurant kitchen,” Farazandeh said. “It gets really frustrating, especially if you don’t have experience in navigating through the sometimes stressful process.”

Nationwide Fire Protection Corp. customers have found that using a national company that specializes in the fire protection, electrical, mechanical, roofing and gas plumbing trades necessary to construct a restaurant kitchen has its benefits.

Many companies handle only one aspect of the entire project, Farazandeh said. For example, a Bay Area fire sprinkler system installer may not know how to install kitchen hood systems. These smaller companies frequently turn to sub-contractors to complete portions of the project in which they lack experience.

“The more people you have involved in a job, the more confusing the process can become and the more people have to work on top of each other to get all of the tasks done,” Farazandeh said.

When one company spearheads all aspects of the kitchen hood and fire suppression system, the entire process can be streamlined.

“Many people do not understand how intense and complicated hood and fire suppression system installation is,” said the Bay Area fire system installer. “Usually it’s the most expensive, difficult and detailed segment of a restaurant.”

When the mechanical, fire protection, electrical, roofing and gas plumbing trades are involved, that requires five different permits in some cities, Farazandeh said. Sometimes each permit carries requirements for three to four inspections throughout the building process.

“When all of these areas are handled by the same company, it’s possible to consolidate inspections to save time and help complete the job quicker,” he said. “With one tradesman on the job, he knows how to coordinate himself.”

Involve several companies and it takes a great deal more cooperation to efficiently schedule inspections. In some cases, the construction process is held up at various stages because one group can’t finish their work until another group obtains the proper inspection for their work first.

Behind the Scenes
When someone walks into a restaurant kitchen, all they notice is the stainless steel hood above the cooking area. In truth, what is seen comprises only about 20 percent of the entire system. Other aspects of the project involve duct work and fire wrap that goes through ceilings and walls and meets fire protection requirements. On rooftops, the system includes make-up air units and exhaust fans mounted on curbs- stands designed for securing equipment. Extensive work also must be done to ensure the curbs are seated solidly on the roof and there is no risk of water or grease penetrating the roof membrane.

“Practically 80 percent of the hood package is on top of the roof where people don’t even see it,” Farazandeh said.

A reputable company ought to be able to address all five aspects of restaurant kitchen construction, he said. That includes:

• Mechanical installation of the hood, exhaust fan and make-up air unit.
• Install automatic gas shut-off valves and proper gas-piping.
• Electrical connections and interlocking.
• Build the ducts and secure them properly to the curbs, Fire-wrap the grease ducts and sometimes fire blanket the hood
• Install the fire suppression system.

“In the process of all this, you have to make sure you consider the structural integrity and wellness of the roof and the ceiling so it doesn’t cause more problems down the road,” Farazandeh said. “Some companies don’t realize the importance of this and they hire sub-contractors that lack the proper structural engineering knowledge regarding ceilings and roofs. That can create short-term and long-term problems for the restaurant.”

The entire kitchen hood, duct, fan and fire suppression system is heavy, he said. If the roof is not structurally sound, that whole package can fall through and hurt people and property.

“It’s important for these companies to know what they’re doing,” Farazandeh said. “Not everyone is a general contractor and is aware of these possibilities ahead of time.”

In the more than 20 years Farazandeh has been in business, he hasn’t encountered another company that offers all of the services under one roof that Nationwide Fire Protection Corp. provides.

“When we say turnkey, that means you hire us, you show us where you want the hood hung, you go away and when you come back, you flip the switch and the equipment starts working,” Farazandeh said. “Our job is to professionally handle all of the behind-the-scenes work in an ethical, professional fashion so the client doesn’t have to worry about the quality of the work being provided.”

National Fire Prevention Week is sponsored by the National Fire Protection Association and is observed annually in October, said NFP’s general manager, Massoud Farazandeh, a fire detection system expert.

It has been observed since 1922 on the Sunday through Saturday in which Oct. 9 falls each year, according to information posted on NFPA’s website. The observance was established to commemorate the Great Chicago Fire, which began on Oct. 8, 1871, but did most of its damage the following day. The fire killed more than 250 people, left 100,000 homeless, destroyed more than 17,400 structures and burned more than 2,000 acres.

“Most of the information available in honor of this week-long observance relates to homeowners,” said Farazandeh, whose company specializes in Los Angeles fire sprinkler systems installations, service and inspections for restaurants and commercial kitchens. “We are broadening the focus a bit to encourage restaurant owners and managers to take steps to ensure they are doing all they can to protect their property and employees from fires.”

Nationwide recently released the follow tips:

Fire Prevention Tips

• Have fire suppression systems inspected every six months, and tested once or twice annually. The testing is a pull system test, where the system must be set off to ensure it is in proper working order in the event of a fire.
• Keep fire extinguishers charged at all times.
• Have the links on nozzles replaced annually.
• Make sure fire systems are up to code. As technology evolves, state and federal codes also change.
• For restaurants, keep kitchen hoods clean and free of grease. This means cleaning hoods, ducts and fans every six months at a minimum, and more frequently, depending on the volume of food cooked and the types of cooking processes used.

Restaurants are the primary cause of big commercial fires, said Farazandeh, whose company installs Los Angeles fire suppression systems. These fires are caused by excessive grease in the hoods and ducts in 60 percent of restaurant fires.

Learn More
If you would like more information about Los Angeles sprinkler fire system sales and installation or you would like more information about Nationwide Fire Protection Corp., call (800) 750-7055, or visit the company’s Web site: http://www.nationwidefireprotection.com/.

About Nationwide Fire Protection Corp.
Chief Executive Officer Massoud Farazandeh founded Nationwide Fire Protection Corp. in 1989 and grew the business into a national leader in fire protection and hood cleaning of restaurants and facilities. In August 2009, he opened a satellite location in Placentia, CA. The company’s comprehensive service offerings enable businesses to do what they do best, which is to focus on their customers and their business. In turn, NFP focuses on what it knows best- keeping businesses in compliance and ensuring the safety of restaurants, staff and patrons.
NFP prides itself on providing exemplary service, offers a quality guarantee and maintains a dependable and highly qualified staff. All crew members are professionally trained to comply with the National Fire Prevention Association Standards and state and local codes.

Nationwide Fire Protection is fully insured and bonded. It is licensed in fire protection contracting in addition to our licensure in the mechanical and electrical fields.

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