3 Things You Can Do to Keep Your Fire Sprinkler System in Working Order

Having a fire sprinkler system is a great way to protect your home and office from fire. Since a fire sprinkler system is the first line of defense against the loss of property due to fire, you want to be sure that your sprinkler system is in proper working order at all times...otherwise, it is just glorified "room décor". So, what can you do to make sure that your system will work when or if it is needed? After all, a system is only as good as its maintenance. There are several precautionary measures you can take to make sure that your system is in proper working order. Here are the 3 main steps you should take:

Protecting Your Fires Sprinklers

Keep your fire sprinklers in working order by making sure that there is nothing blocking them. Be sure that there are no pictures or large pieces of furniture away from the walls where the sprinklers are installed. In addition, do not hang lamps or plants near the sprinklers. Also, remember to never use the sprinkler heads or pipes as hooks or "closet rods" as even lightweight items can damage the sprinkler system. Be sure that if you are painting the room, you keep paint away from the sprinkler or sprinkler cover. To paint in a room where these are installed, be sure to cover the sprinklers with plastic and then remove the plastic as soon as the job is completed.

Other precautionary steps to be taken include being very careful to avoid the spray heads when moving tall objects and teaching children not to play or touch (assuming they can reach it) the components of the system.

Keeping the Valve Turned on and Opened

It sounds obvious, but should still be checked. Be sure that the control is open. An opened control will be in line with the pipe while a closed one will form a right angle to the pipe. Many professional recommend using a padlock to keep the valve in the on position. In the event that your system is turned off, be sure that you turn it back on as soon as possible. You should also be sure to never store anything within 1 foot of the water controls as this can impede usage.

Water Flow Testing

At least once a year you need to test the rate of the water flow. Here are 6 easy steps to ensure your system is working properly:

1. If your sprinklers are connected to a central alarm, let the fire department know you will be conducting a test.
2. Find the flow test valve. It is usually labeled main drain, inspector test or test and drain.
3. Slowly turn on the control valve so that it is in line with the pipe.
4. When the water begins running, let it run for about a minute. If your system has an alarm it will sound.
5. Slowly turn the control valve off.
6. Write down the date you performed the test.

For more information on fire sprinkler systems contact Brothers Fire Protection of Minnesota.

Article independently authored by Janet Slagell. The content herein may or may not reflect the views and opinions of Brothers Fire Protection. Click for search engine optimization and search engine marketing or visit WebDrafter.com's Blog.

The Fire Triangle and How to Extinguish Fires

The fire triangle is a graphical device for understanding the needed components to cause and sustain a fire. Each of the three legs of the triangle represent one of three needed elements, namely, heat, an oxidizing agent and fuel. A fire can only burn if all three elements are present and, by extension, fire fighting involves depriving the fire of one of the elements.

The removal of heat is a common fire fighting tactic. For instance, spraying water on a fire cools everything down and prohibits the fire from continuing to burn. If you imagine a burning building with fire fighters using fire hoses, you can see the that there is plenty of fuel in the form of wood, drywall, etc. and there is plenty of oxygen in the surrounding air but the water being applied removes the heat and the fire is eventually defeated.

Removal of fuel is a second way to defeat fires. This method is used frequently when combating grass fires like those that seem so frequent in California. It is impossible to remove the oxygen as it is in the surrounding air but by creating fire breaks the flames can be contained. A fire break is constructed by removing all the fuel, in the case grass, in a long, wide path or strip around the fire. When the fire burns up to the break it will extinguish as it has burnt all the fuel behind it and can't burn the bare ground in front of it. Lacking a source of fuel, the fire goes out. The concept is also used to stop forest fires although the breaks must be wider to be effective.

Removing oxygen is the final way to extinguish a fire. You may have used this method yourself if you have ever had a grease fire in a pan or pot. By simply putting the lid on the pot, the fire goes out. It still has fuel, your food, and has heat but it rapidly consumes all the oxygen in the pot. Of course, the lid is not air tight and oxygen is streaming in to replace the consumed oxygen but it is doing so at rate that is not sufficient to sustain the fire.

Removing oxygen is also a way to prevent fires. When a camp fire is finished we are all advised to cover it with dirt. The dirt prevents the oxygen from reaching the coals and continuing to burn. The dirt also prevents new fuel from falling into the hot coals and starting a new, larger fire.

For more information on fire safety equipment please visit Brothers Fire Protection or call 800-607-2767.

Article independently authored by Eric Parish. The content herein may or may not reflect the views and opinions of Brothers Fire Protection. Click for search engine optimization and search engine marketing or visit WebDrafter.com's Blog.

Fire Safety - University and Colleges Sacrifice Students' Safety For Financial Reasons

Fire safety and prevention is always paramount, but facilities with buildings constructed over twenty years ago may not meet and satisfy current fire code regulations. Nowhere is this more important than with colleges and universities, many with buildings constructed more than one hundred years ago. Protecting the country's youth does not always take a front seat, but proves to be costly every year.

One main problem regarding latent and potential fire hazards on school campuses pertains to housing and dormitories. Many of these structures which were built more than thirty years ago were not designed with present fire codes in mind. Many of these facilities relied upon the use of asbestos to help combat the threat of fire. Due to the health risks which asbestos presents, asbestos materials have been removed and replaced by safer building materials. In doing so, it has increased the risk of death and extensive property damage. Open stairwells, the lack of fire barriers, and the lack of fire or smoke dampers are just a few more of the crippling aspects of older dormitories. On-campus fraternities and sororities often share similar weaknesses.

Another consideration of a serious problem, although it is much more specific, affects those individuals in wheelchairs. Universities and colleges have added elevators in many older buildings to maintain compliance with accessibility requirements. While this allows wheel chair access to all floors of a building, in the event of a fire elevators are deactivated. Obviously the outcome of a fire in one of these buildings is easily predictable without incorporating areas of rescue assistance for wheelchair access.

Fire alarm panels and control systems have come a long way from the basic siren or bell system with which most adults may remember from elementary school. Today in addition to the traditional fire alarm systems, modern fire alarms, control panels and security systems have evolved into highly complex addressable computer panels and communication centers. Costs can easily exceed well beyond $20,000 for a fire control system in a university dormitory setting. The major obstruction to updating or upgrading these aging buildings is the growing budgetary limitations. The cost to retrofit many of these buildings is prohibitive. Much of the monies delegated to construction and infrastructure is tied up with new buildings and facilities. Schools may qualify for federal funding for the purpose of retrofitting and upgrading those structures which currently do not meet the minimum fire codes.

For more information on commercial fire alarms and fire suppression systems, please visit Brothers Fire Protection or call 800-607-2767.

Article independently authored by Daniel Elliott. The content herein may or may not reflect the views and opinions of Brothers Fire Protection. Click for search engine optimization and search engine marketing or visit WebDrafter.com's Blog.

Get the Facts About Fire Prevention

• Fact:Each year in America there are more than 4,000 people who die as a result of fires.
• Fact: Installing smoke alarms and a fire sprinkler system will reduce risk of death in a home fire by 82%.
• Fact: 90% of home fires can be contained with just one sprinkler, the one closest to the fire, resulting in less water damage than of the fire department.
• Fact: Modern fire sprinklers are inconspicuous and can be mounted so that they are flush with the ceilings or walls.
• Fact: Home fire sprinkler systems only add 1 to 1.5% of the total building costs in new home construction.
• Fact: A residential fire occurs every 76 seconds.
• Fact:49% of all home fire deaths resulted from fires that were reported between 10:00 PM and 6:00 AM.
• Fact: 17 people die in home fires every day.
• Fact:18% of home fire deaths occurred in homes in which only a smoke alarm was in use.
• Fact: Fire sprinklers save lives, reduce property loss and will even help lower your homeowner insurance premiums.

If you have never been the victim of a house fire, then you can only marginally relate to the feelings of desolation and loss. There is little in life that can prepare you for seeing the ashes of what was once your home. As you stand there, you can't help but think of the good times you shared within the walls of your home, of the special keepsakes that have been destroyed, the photos or scrapbooks that you lovingly placed in albums and many other reminders and mementos that contributed to who and what you are. Simply stated, a fire is one of the most devastating things that can occur in the life of anyone.

In addition to the emotional loss, the economical strain of a fire can take some time to recover from. After all, once you have received the insurance money, there is time spent to replace things such as clothes, household items like appliances and computers, groceries and many other things that one can so easily take for granted. Plus, there is the time you have to take off from work in order to get situated and settled in at new residence.

So, why should you become the victim of a home fire when it can be avoided? After all, there is an assortment of products available to prevent property loss due to fire. Even if you have a smoke alarm, it is not enough. Today, you can have a home sprinkler system installed that effectively puts out fires-in some cases, quicker than the fire department can arrive! There are many companies who specialize in installing home sprinkler systems and who will be happy to walk through your home to let you know how their system can save you the emotional and economical stress of a home fire. You don't have to become one of the statistics!

For additional information on the topic of home fire sprinkler systems visit Brothers Fire. Article independently authored by Janet M. Slagell. The content herein may or may not reflect the views and opinions of Brothers Fire. Click for search engine optimization and search engine marketing or visit WebDrafter.com's Blog.