Understanding Commercial Kitchen Fire Suppression Systems
The danger of fire is a reality for all commercial kitchens. A large amount of cooking, frying and food preparation on a constant basis makes the kitchen smoky and hot. Over time, the kitchen equipment and systems gather a lot of grease inside them, leading to an increased risk of grease fire, in particular. That is exactly why fire suppression systems are installed in commercial kitchens. These systems are designed using the latest technology to minimize the risk of a fire breakout and contain a fire immediately at its source before it gets a chance to spread to other areas. The fire protection system works in combination with a ventilation system, which removes the contaminated air and keeps the kitchen air fresh and clean.
There are multiple advantages of installing and using a fire suppression system in your commercial kitchen, cooking facility or community kitchen. If you operate a large kitchen, you should definitely broaden your knowledge on how exactly these systems function to prevent fire.
Components of Fire Suppression Systems
There are various types of fire suppression systems available to suit the different needs of commercial kitchens. However, the basic components that make up any type of fire suppression system are the same.
Control Panel
The control panel or the fire suppression panel where all the monitoring and controlling happens. Through this panel, all the fire protection modules and devices are controlled. Today’s fire suppression systems are highly advanced and can directly communicate with the control panel.
Detection System
The component does exactly what it means. It detects the initiation or presence of excessive heat or flame in the restaurant kitchen. It is designed to immediately identify the risk of a fire. As soon as it detects too much heat or flame, it will send a signal to the control panel and the entire system will be activated to extinguish or contain the fire before it has a chance to worsen.
Extinguishing Agent
All types of fire suppression systems use some kind of extinguishing agent. The role of this chemical is to contain and put out fire in a quick and effective manner. Based on the type of fire safety system it is, it can use dry chemical, wet chemical, dry powder or water foam as its extinguishing agent.
Nozzles and Piping
The fire-fighting nozzles spray water over fire. The water is sprayed using hydraulic pressure or compressed air in the form of small droplets or mist to contain and extinguish the fire. There are multiple types of hydraulic spray nozzles that are designed for fast and effective fire protection.
Manual Pull Station
A manual pull station is a device with a push button abort switch. These pull stations can either be single-action or dual-action. If it is single-action, you will be able to activate it by pulling down the lever. Dual-action pull stations require an extra action that is lifting or breaking a glass panel.
Gas Shut-Off Valve
This small device is located near the cooking appliances. Using this gas valve, you will be able to cut off the gas supply immediately. This is extremely useful for preventing fire from spreading further.
Each of these components is crucial in terms of the function it performs as part of the fire suppression system unit. If you have a question about any of these, reach out to Nationwide Fire Protection in Denver, CO. Our fire safety system experts will broaden your understanding further.
How Fire Suppression Systems Work
Every commercial kitchen or community kitchen should install a quality fire suppression system to be able to effectively deal with a fire emergency. Modern fire safety systems are highly advanced and extremely efficient at controlling and extinguishing fires as soon as they ignite. Now that you have known about the components these systems are made of, you should also understand how these systems get activated and perform their crucial job in the event of a fire.
Automatic Detection and Suppression
Modern fire suppression systems are innovatively designed to detect and act in a very rapid manner. These systems don’t need any electronic fire detectors separately. Fire detection is carried out by tubing, which has been specially designed for this purpose. These tube components are installed throughout a restaurant kitchen in order to detect the risk of fire immediately.
The detection component of the fire suppression system is extremely sensitive and can identify heat and flames immediately. As soon as it detects the risk of a fire, it bursts open and the entire fire suppression system gets activated as a result. The bursting of the tubing alters the pressure in the system. Due to this change in pressure, the system starts to act and the valve is activated. Next, the fire extinguishing agent gets released and contains and puts out the fire. Fire suppression systems are automatic and don’t need any manual activation.
Manual Activation
As distinct from automatic activation, these fire suppression systems require human intervention for activation. Manual activation is done using a pull station or some other device. However, it is possible to install and use a combination of both automatic and manual detection as part of the overall commercial kitchen fire suppression systems. Manual activation devices are usually mounted on a wall on a certain height, as per the code requirements and guidelines.
Types of Extinguishing Agents
There are different types of suppressing agents in order to deal with different classes of fire. It is important to use the right type of extinguishing agent for a particular classification of fire. Using the wrong type of extinguishing agent can lead to dangerous consequences. However, there are some extinguishing agents that can be used to put on more than one type of fire.
Key fire extinguishing agents include:
- Water and foam
- Dry chemical
- Wet chemical
- Clean agent
- Dry powder
- Water mist
- Carbon dioxide
Water and foam as extinguishing agents are effective for Class A fires only. Dry chemical is used to contain and extinguish Class A, B and C fires. Dry powder is used to deal with Class D or combustible metal fires. To find out more about these chemical agents, get in touch with one of our fire suppression specialists at Nationwide Fire Protection in Denver, Colorado.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Different Types of Systems
All fire suppression systems are not designed and installed equal. Based on the varying needs of food service businesses, manufacturers create a variety of fire protection and suppression systems. You can also hire professionals to custom-design a fire safety system exactly as per your needs.
Every fire protection system comes with its own pros and cons. Before you choose a particular type of system for protection against fire in your facility, you should have some clarity on what kind of advantages and disadvantages it has to offer. For example, fire extinguishers are very easy to use and versatile, their capacity is limited. Plus, these devices require maintenance on a regular basis and need to be inspected in a timely manner so they can be in good condition. Fire sprinkler systems are highly responsive and get activated automatically. If there is a risk of a developing fire, these systems will sound gong alarms to alert everyone in the facility or building. These fire safety systems have a higher cost of installation and need upkeep and repairs on a regular basis including manual adjustment of moving parts.
To find out more about the advantages and disadvantages of fire suppression systems, you should get in touch with Nationwide Fire Protection in Denver, CO. Our company specializes in a wide range of services including fire suppression system maintenance, restaurant fire safety, fire suppression system troubleshooting, fire safety training and commercial kitchen design.
Maintenance and Inspection
Fire suppression systems provide highly effective defense against heavy-duty cooking equipment fires that can arise in a commercial kitchen. To make sure these systems function with full efficiency and responsiveness, you need to give them proper and regular maintenance and inspection.
Since a fire suppression system is made of many components, it also goes through all kinds of wear and tear over time. If these faults are ignored, issues will worsen and this can take a toll on the entire system. In fact, it can also cause the whole fire safety system to fail or break down. That is why it is crucial that you get testing and inspection done on a regular basis and get the damaged parts repaired or replaced in order to restore the efficiency of the system. In any case, you should only rely on certified technicians to maintain, repair and replace damaged parts so as to ensure the tasks are done correctly the first time.
Addressing minor issues quickly will eliminate the need for costly repairs later and replacements can be avoided too. Get in touch with Nationwide Fire Protection in Denver, CO, to schedule an inspection.
Compliance with Codes and Standards
The fire safety of your restaurant should be done as per the codes and regulations issued by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). As the owner or facility manager, it is your foremost responsibility to make sure you are following all the fire safety codes in a proper manner.
Fire codes and regulatory guidelines may vary based on your location. So, you should stay aware of the codes in your area, city or state. You need to know exactly what type of fire extinguishers you need to install as per the fire safety codes and standards. The installation of the restaurant fire suppression system should be carried out exactly as per the NFPA regulations. According to the NFPA, all commercial kitchen cooking equipment and machinery should be outfitted with its own fire protection system. All cooking equipment should be placed beneath an exhaust hood and duct system for proper ventilation in the kitchen.
It can be hard for you to stay above all the current fire safety codes. The best idea is to seek the help of a company such as Nationwide Fire Protection in Denver, CO, to understand the essential codes.
Choosing the Right Fire Suppression System
Since there are various types of fire protection and suppression systems available, it can be difficult for a business owner to select the right one for their facility or building. In order to make the right choice, you will first need to have some basic knowledge and then consider several key factors. But above all, you will need to have clarity about what your exact day to day needs are.
When it comes to choosing the right fire suppression system, you will need to take the type, size and location of your restaurant in the first place. There are different fire safety systems for different types of cooking. You need to know whether a wet pipe fire suppression system, water mist system, dry and preaction fire system or gas flooding fire suppression system is right for you. Whichever fire suppression system suits your needs properly, you also need to get the system designed and installed with the highest level of accuracy. That is exactly why you will need to seek the help of restaurant fire safety specialists from a trusted company.
If you are not sure which fire suppression system is right for your commercial kitchen or need specialists for the design and installation of the system, reach out to Nationwide Fire Protection in Denver, CO.
Conclusion
Every commercial kitchen needs to be outfitted with the right type of fire suppression system. As a restaurant owner, it is your crucial duty to keep your employees and visitors protected at all times and stay compliant with the fire safety codes, standards and regulatory guidelines. If you look for a highly experienced and trusted company that provides fire suppression system design, installation and maintenance services, Nationwide Fire Protection is the ideal place.
You can reach out to us via a quick phone call or send us a message using the contact form given on our website.
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