How to Choose a Fire Suppression System
As a business owner, you obviously want to keep your building safe from fires. However, choosing the best fire suppression system for your building is not an easy task! As a Houston business owner, you can’t exactly go to the store and view all of the fire suppression systems to figure out which has the best features – there are a lot of factors you need to consider. The best place to start is to go over the potential risk factors of your building with your insurance company – or with a Kauffman Co representative!
The first step involved in choosing a fire suppression system is a risk analysis of your building. Once you figure out the primary risk factors, you should try to reduce or eliminate as many as possible. When all this is done, you can look into which type of fire suppression system will fit your needs best. The major types of fire suppression systems are:
Wet pipe fire suppression systems – wet pipe fire suppression systems keep water stored in all the pipes for instant application in the event of a fire. A well designed system will include flow monitors and pressure gauges to help you monitor the pressure on both sides of the valves when they’re closed. One the pipe flange seals on your wet pipe fire suppression system, it will be extremely reliable (when properly maintained). Wet pipe fire suppression systems are extremely popular and almost never activate unless in response to a fire.
Dry and preaction fire suppression systems – not as popular in the Houston area, dry pipe fire suppression systems store water out of the pipes under pressure and release it in response to a fire. They require more maintenance than wet pipe suppression systems, and are frequently affected by corrosion, particularly in systems with air or nitrogen in the pipes. Dry pipe fire sprinkler systems are often seen in freezing environments, where water stored in pipes is at risk of icing up.
Water mist systems – water mist systems are highly efficient and safe to use around electronics, but the technology can be expensive. Benefits of water mist systems include small diameter piping and reduced risk of water damage.
Fast response fire suppression systems – fast response systems activate at the early stage of a fire. There are numerous types of fast response systems available.
Gas flooding fire suppression systems – gas flooding fire suppression systems are activated by temperature and smoke detectors and release a fire suppressant gas that is kept under extremely high pressure. There are numerous advantages and disadvantages to these types of systems.
No matter what type of fire suppression best suits your business’ needs, the most important thing is that it’s designed and installed properly. That’s where Kauffman Co comes in! If your business is in our around Houston, we’ll help you choose the best fire suppression system for your building and install it properly so it keeps you protected at all times.
For all your Houston fire suppression system needs, call Kauffman Co today!
