When selecting a restaurant fire suppression system there is a little planning that should take place first. If you have a kitchen hood that is around anything agrees it is a requirement to have a restaurant fire suppression system. Any kind of heat, grease or oil or anything that can make a flame are susceptible to indoor fires and these are every day occurrence in the restaurant. Proper fire protection should be implemented in order to not only protect the building but the workers and customers as well. Although fire protection may be pricey, it is not only a regulation and requirement, but it will give you the peace of mind to be able to hire people and allow customers into your restaurant knowing that should the worst happen, everyone is taken care of. Nothing that replace that peace of mind. Even restaurant workers stated that they are much more comfortable knowing that precautions are in place in case of a cooking fire.
Size
A restaurant fire suppression installation company will need to know the size of the area that the appliances in as well as the actual die mentions of the appliances self. This area is called the hazard area and is usually anywhere around the appliance that can produce heat. Of course, this area depends on the type of system that you decide to purchase, which will be talked about a little later on. It could either encompass the entire kitchen or just the appliance itself.
Codes
You should be familiar with the local codes of your jurisdiction. Different areas require different things when it comes to restaurant fire suppression installation and systems. For example, some areas will actually require a full dump test which will be more expensive. Other areas will only require a puff test which is when the air is push through the system. Local codes also have a say in the distance around the heat appliance that needs to be protected. Knowing with these regulations are before looking for the system will help you to budget better and to know what you are looking for. Contact your local boards and find out exactly what is expected of your restaurant before any inspections take place and this will make your life a lot easier.
Know the system
You should understand how fire suppression systems work. The systems utilize a wet chemical that work to put out the fire. Typically speaking, the chemicals are potassium-based and this is what forms the foam layer over everything. The layer traps vapors and stops oxygen from making the fire worse. The foam layer also reduces the risk of re sparking. Re sparking is a big factor in fires. Many times, the fire is thought to be put out and the people around stop paying attention and think that they can relax, only to have one little spark ignite a small patch of grease or oil again. The foam layer prevents this all together.
Types of systems
There are several different types of fire suppression systems available. The most common is no does the appliances specific system. This system has a nozzle that is pointed directly at the appliance that has the most potential of starting a fire such as a fryer or a stove.
The other kind of system is located on the ceiling and blankets the entire kitchen with the foam layer. This is much more expensive then the appliance specific system but is known to be quite a bit safer, especially if the fire spreads quickly. Keep in mind that even if you do go about the process of a restaurant fire suppression installation there should still be fire extinguishers no more than 30 feet from all cooking areas.
Conclusion
If you are not yet convinced of your need to contact a fire extinguisher service and start the restaurant fire suppression installation, here are a few facts about kitchen fires that will hopefully turn your mind.
- Almost half of restaurant fires start in the cooking areas in the kitchens more than half involve cooking equipment.
- Over 8000 commercial kitchen fires are reported every year just in the United States.
- An average of $246 million a year in property damage is caused by fires in restaurants and eating establishments
