Six Systems to Avoid Potentially Dangerous, Life-threatening Fires
Commercial and industrial facilities have a constant need to prevent damage caused due to fire breakouts. If not controlled immediately, these fires can spread at lightning speed and inflict a great deal of damage, leading to both loss of properties and lives. That is exactly why businesses and commercial establishments are required to adhere to the building codes and fire safety codes. If you are a facility owner or manager, you should make sure you abide by all the laws and regulations associated with fire safety and provide proper protection to your employees while also keeping your investments well-protected at all times.
There are various types of fire protection systems that you should install in your facility, as per your specific needs. Most of all, you should rely on the most experienced fire protection services for installation.
At Nationwide Fire Protection in Denver, CO, we specialize in the design and installation of a broad range of fire systems to help different types of businesses and commercial facilities to avoid life-threatening fires. In this article, we will discuss six important types of fire systems that are quite well-known for their latest design and effectiveness at detecting and controlling fires.
Aspiration Smoke Detectors
This system is made up of accurate and active detectors. Abbreviated as ASD, it detects smoke by pulling in air samples and finding the samples contain any smoke particles. As soon as the system detects the presence of smoke particles, it sets off the alarm to alert people in the facility.
If you plan to install a highly sensitive fire detection system in your facility, you should definitely consider this system. Fire develops and spreads in multiple stages. The ASD system catches fire at the very initial stage, usually much before flame or smoldering starts. These detectors have the capability to detect fire even before the development of intense smoke. When you want to install an aspirating smoke detection system in your facility, you should rely only on well-known brands and get the entire system installed by a highly experienced company.
For more details on this fire detection system and how it will be installed, reach out to one of the experts at Nationwide Fire Protection in Denver, CO. Our professionals will explain everything for your information.
Infrared Camera Systems
One of the most advanced fire detection systems, the infrared (IR) camera system detects fire using the principle of heat transfer. The IR camera has a detector, which has the capability of measuring the infrared energy from the surface of objects. After the infrared data has been captured, the system digitizes it and converts it into a viewable (electronic) image. The electronic image thus developed displays the apparent surface temperature of the specific object.
The IR cameras measure and report surface temperature of various objects from different spots and lines. This is one of the most sensitive and advanced smoke detectors used by commercial facilities.
If a fire is about to develop, the infrared camera will be the first to discover it. The system does this by detecting the warming-up of an object or material, much before the smoke gets a chance to develop into flames. You can install these fire suppression systems throughout a facility or in multiple locations for constant and precise monitoring to avoid potentially dangerous fires.
The infrared camera systems not only detect the risk of a potential fire at an early stage, but it also identifies the hotspot with a high degree of precision, thus helping workers become alert of the danger.
Fire Sprinkler Systems
You will often find this fire safety system installed in a domestic building or a commercial facility. Though these systems are simple, they are quite effective at controlling and extinguishing fire in a facility.
Key components of a water sprinkler system include a water supply, piping system and sprinkler heads. If you operate a restaurant or a commercial kitchen, installing this system is essential. Since there are different types of sprinkler systems to control fire, you need to invest in a system that is ideal for the day-to-day needs in your commercial facility. The system is capable of detecting the risk of a potential fire, and as soon as it detects a fire, it gets activated. Immediately, the sprinkler starts to discharge water on the flame and controls and extinguishes the fire before it has a chance to develop more and spreads to other areas of the building.
You will soon have advanced and smart sprinkler systems that use a combination of two or more technologies to detect fire in the early stage and control and extinguish it before it can cause damage. Automatic fire sprinkler systems are known for their high degree of responsiveness and hence installed in large areas and facilities to suppress fire in a fast and effective manner.
If you plan to install a fire sprinkler system, you should seek the help of only those companies that possess certification by a reputable authority. The installation of these systems is complex and takes a good amount of time. It is your duty to get the system set up done as per the rules and laws of the fire safety code. If you operate a facility in the Denver area, you should head over to Nationwide Fire Protection to get the job done by experts in a precise manner. Our company specializes in restaurant fire system installation, fire sprinkler repair, fire sprinkler inspection etc. For more information, feel free to talk to one of our fire safety system specialists.
Photoelectric Smoke Detectors
Photoelectric detectors are one of the most used and effective for monitoring potential fire and sending out alarms everytime there is a potential risk. Like the name suggests, this fire safety system has detectors that detect a fire by using a light beam. The light beam is directed into a sensing chamber. As soon as smoke particles enter the chamber, the light beam gets reflected onto the sensor. Thus, the system gets activated and starts sounding the alarm of a potential danger. Having this type of fire alarm in your facility will definitely improve your fire protection.
Commercial facilities install these detectors because the former are highly effective at sounding an alarm as soon as a fire originates from a smoldering source. The detector primarily consists of two components: an emitter for directing the light beam and a receiver to receive reflected light.
Ionization Smoke Detectors
These smoke detectors consist of a small americium source, placed between two electrically charged plates and encased in a proper manner, which prevents the alpha particles from moving outside.
When the air is ionized, current continues to travel between the plates. As soon as smoke particles enter the chamber, the flow of current is disrupted due to the interrupted flow of ions between the plates. A reduction in the flow of current as a result triggers the alarm and alerts people of a potential fire. Though the smoke detector uses radiation to operate, it does not pose any health risks, provided it is handled by trained technicians in a proper and safe manner.
Compared to photoelectric smoke detectors, ionization smoke detectors are much faster at sounding alarms to warn those in the facility of a fast fire. These detectors are highly responsive to the flaming stage of fires. If you want to have a robust fire alarm system, you should install in your building or facility a combination of both ionization smoke detectors and photoelectric smoke detectors.
IoT Cloud-Based Software
The IoT technology has transformed the way fire protection systems function. While you can install a fire safety system as per your specific needs, pairing it with IoT technology multiplies the benefits.
Using the IoT cloud-based technology, you will be able to send alerts and warnings to hundreds of people at once. The technology allows you to communicate to people via multiple channels including text, voice mails and emails. You can send messages to a specific group of recipients in an effective manner, in order to create immediate awareness around a safety issue. Most of all, the use of this technology enables facility managers to effectively monitor fire during the various stages of its development and prevent the fire immediately.
There are several benefits of combining the IoT technology with other systems used to avoid potentially dangerous fires. In fact, the software allows you to connect multiple locations to a central alarm dashboard and monitor situations in all the commercial and industrial facilities at once.
When it comes to leveraging the IoT technology, facility managers should keep in mind that it is not a stand-alone fire protection system. Therefore, it should not be thought of as a substitute for any fire suppression system. This is a software program that can automate fire detection and control and enhance the capabilities of a fire protection system manifold. It does not cost much to install this software. Moreover, you do not need to manage a dedicated facility computer server to operate this technology, as the program lives in and runs from the cloud.
How to Choose the Right Fire Protection System
For facility managers, it is their foremost responsibility to provide safety and protection to workers and visitors. When it comes to fire detection systems and fire alarm systems, one can easily get overwhelmed with many different types of systems available out there. Reading about the six fire protection systems above will give a good idea about how different systems function.
Some of the well-known fire safety system brands suited for commercial facilities include Ansul Fire Suppression, Amerex Fire Suppression, Buckeye Fire Suppression, Kidde Fire Suppression, Range Guard Fire Suppression etc. Different systems have their pros and cons, which you should take into account in order to make an informed decision about installation. The best idea is to seek the help of a fire protection company in or near your location. Trained professionals will help you evaluate your specific needs and select the right system.
Key steps to select the right fire alarm system include:
- Assess the risks and threats within your facility
- Take the size and layout of the facility into account
- Choose the right devices and appliances
- Consider environmental factors
When you search for a fire protection system, you will come across different types of detectors such as smoke detectors, flame detectors, fire gas detectors etc. Likewise, fire sprinkler systems can also be divided into many categories based on features such as response type, temperature rating, K-factor etc. By having an expert by your side, you will be able to understand the pros and cons of every system in a proper manner and find it easy to choose the right one. Whether you plan to retrofit your existing fire protection system or install a new one altogether, you should always get it done by a trusted and reputed service provider.
Investing in the right type of fire alarm system, fire sprinkler installation and fire safety system is essential, as this is all related to the safety of your employees and guests. It is crucial for staying code-compliant as well.
Which Fire Safety System Should Your Business Use?
Each business and commercial facility has its own unique challenges, when it comes to installing a fire suppression system. The fire protection you have should adhere to the building and fire safety codes. That is exactly why you need the expert help of a fire protection company to get the job done with the highest degree of precision. If you run a commercial facility in Denver, CO, and need to have an advanced and robust fire safety system, head over to Nationwide Fire Protection. Our company specializes in the installation, repair and maintenance of a wide range of fire alarm and safety systems, fire extinguishers, fire detectors etc.
Our experts will design and install a fire suppression system that is ideal for the day-to-day needs of your facility or commercial building. For your free consultation with a specialist, you should give our office a phone call or write to us an email via the contact form given on our website.
Email Us
