The goal of a fire safety system is to protect your workers and your business property. Unfortunately, many of the issues that cause systems to become inoperable aren’t found until it’s too late. Learn what you can do to reduce system failures. Raise the level of safety with these solutions to some common problems that plague fire systems.
1. Problem: Water Supply Fails
Low water pressure during a fire defeats the purpose of having a fire sprinkler system in place. The right water pressure has to be delivered all of the time because a fire can happen at any time; fire emergencies are rarely predictable.
Solution
Maintain a dependable water supply by:
- Connecting to a large river, lake, or other nearby reservoir as a reliable water source
- For systems that use cooling tower basins, put two side-by-side, each with its own fire pump
- Routinely test and maintain the fire safety equipment
- Have a certified fire safety professional run a risk-based analysis
2. Problem: Sprinkler Systems with Fire Pumps that Fail to Supply Enough Water to All Connected Fire Systems
Typically, supplying water to one system can be done fairly easily. However, supplying water to connected systems at the same time poses a challenge for your fire pump.
Solution
To correct this issue:
- Design the fire safety system around the adjoining
systems. Be sure to meet or exceed the demand for higher water pressure with the right size fire pump or multiple fire pumps to accommodate multiple systems. - Manage friction leaks by selecting appropriate nozzle diameters and pipe fittings that go with them
3. Problem: Carbon Dioxide (CO2) / Gas-based Suppression Systems Did Not Reach Concentration Level Required to Extinguish Fire
CO2 suppression systems and other gaseous-agent types must generate a certain amount of the agent to put out a fire. The CO2 accumulates in a tight enclosure for safety reasons. But the enclosure, just like any other part of the fire safety equipment, can wear down over time.
Solution
To combat this problem:
- Use a highly-regarded, professional Philadelphia fire extinguisher service to test the CO2 system with a simulated operating situation
- Test all enclosures because each one may have different agent discharge levels
- In some situations, room integrity and fan testing may be required to ensure none of the agent is escaping through cracks in the ceiling, doors, or floor.
- Measure the concentration of CO2 using a correctly-calibrated analyzer
- Document the results
What Can You Do?
You can avoid many common fire safety problems when you choose a reputable fire protection company to design a custom solution that protects your processes and hazards. If your existing system is in need of repair, Keystone has the experts who can return your system to proper functionality in no time.
Conveniently located just outside of Philadelphia, we serve many industries, including:
- Commercial Real Estate
- Educational Institutions
- Government
- Healthcare
- High-Value Asset Protection
- Manufacturing
- Restaurants
- Warehousing
At Keystone, we believe in Life Safety Made Simple. For more than 60 years we have provided fire protection and safety services to preserve the life of our clients and their employees. Our Philadelphia fire protection experts are ready to answer your questions.
Our geographical reach goes beyond the Philadelphia area and includes fire safety services in NJ, as well. Don’t settle for substandard fire safety. There’s too much at risk. Contact Keystone Fire Protection at 1-888-641-0100 or complete our simple online form today!