Don't suffer a catastrophic loss because of improperly installed or serviced fire protection equipment! In a restaurant or commercial cooking operation, fires most commonly originate at the cooking appliances.
A properly designed and functioning restaurant fire suppression system will quickly suppress and contain these fires.
A commercial cooking environment brings together the three components of the fire triangle, creating an ideal situation for a fire to occur:
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Fuel provided by the grease and oil in foods and cooking media
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Oxygen from the free flowing air of the exhaust and return air
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Heat or ignition sources provided by the cooking appliances
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When a fire spreads into the plenum and duct work of the exhaust system without proper fire protection equipment it can quickly grow out of control and spread rapidly across a roof or attic space where it is extremely difficult to fight.
A kitchen fire that can easily be controlled with the help of a fire protection system can just as easily cause a catastrophic loss without one.
Local fire and building codes will dictate that an automatic fire suppression system is in place for any commercial cooking operation, however, without proper inspection and maintenance the most common problems that endanger your operation and it's people are:
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The kitchen fire suppression system is no longer suited for the hazard (cooking appliances) – This happens when changes are made to the layout and size of the appliances and the fire protection is no longer designed or configured correctly for the new layout or appliances.
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The system does not operate as intended or at all because the fire system inspection was not performed per the code requirements and/or manufacturer's guidelines.
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So how do you know you’ve gotten what you’ve paid for from your fire protection contractor and that the maintenance that was performed is what is required by code? Get your free copy of our checklist to ensure your system is compliant and fire systems contractor is performing service per NFPA code:
DOWNLOAD INSPECTION CHECKLIST FOR KITCHEN HOOD FIRE SUPPRESSION SYSTEMS
NFPA 17A is the Standard for Wet Chemical Extinguishing Systems and it is the minimum requirements adopted into law by authorities in most jurisdictions. We have taken the guesswork out of the code with the NFPA 17A Quick Reference Guide. The manufacturers of these systems may also have more specific requirements, but at a minimum your fire protection contractor should be providing the items required by NFPA 17A. You can also download a courtesy copy of our tip sheet:
DOWNLOAD KITCHEN HOOD FIRE SUPPRESSION SYSTEMS TIP SHEET
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