NFPA 25 vs. VdS CEA Guidelines for Sprinkler Systems
The standard commonly used in the United States for sprinkler system testing and maintenance is NFPA 25, "Standard for the Inspection, Testing and Maintenance of Water-Based Fire Protection...
Changes to NFPA 20
The use of fire pumps for fire protection is certainly not new - the initial NFPA Technical committee to establish uniform guidelines for proper and effective installation of fire pumps dates back to...
Water Mist Technology
Background Steam flooding as a fire extinguishing medium is a predecessor of water mist that was introduced in the early 1900's. These early applications included oil refining and wood drying kilns....
Engineering and Fire Testing Research versus Building Codes Requirements for Smoke and Heat Venting in Fully Sprinklered Warehouses
The fire protection engineering industry views smoke and heat venting in warehouse type occupancies as a waste of money and a hindrance to the performance of an automatic sprinkler system. Why do...
Commercial Cooking Equipment
The following summary provides guidance in assessing the thoroughness of inspection, maintenance and cleaning activities for equipment and systems related to commercial cooking equipment. Commercial...
Halon Alternatives
Bromochloroflourocarbons (Halons) were developed in the 1930s. Halon is low in toxicity, non-flammable, non-corrosive and very compatible with many materials. Halon has thermodynamic and physical...
Fire Protection Statistics
Automatic Sprinklers 1 in 16 million sprinklers will leak or accidentally discharge due to mechanical failure. Between 1 and 9 sprinklers are usually required to control a fire. Sprinklers are...
Fire Extinguishers
Portable fire extinguishers can be a first line of defense in the early stages of a fire. With proper training, they can be very effective is preventing a small fire from growing rapidly out of...
Fire Pumps
Fire pumps and fire booster pumps are critical pieces of equipment when it comes to providing an adequate fire protection water supply for many industrial and commercial properties. Fire pumps are...
Cafeteria Extinguishing Systems
It is common to find pre-engineered extinguishing systems in commercial cafeterias. These systems serve to suppress grease and oil fires in fryers, grills, hoods, and exhaust plenums. In the past dry...
Maintaining Dry-Pipe Sprinkler Systems
The owner of the large glass plant couldn't remember the last time he tested the building's dry-pipe sprinkler system. The facility had been sitting idle for at least a year, and he had three other...
Pre-planning the Installation of a Fire Sprinkler System
One of changes in the 2002 Edition of NFPA 13, Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems that often goes unnoticed or enforced is the requirement of a building owner or their authorized...