Do you own a business? Then you need a fire suppression system in place.

Having that system keeps you safe, as well as your business itself. There are several types of system out there, so which one is right for you?

Here’s how to find a fire suppression system that gives you what you need.

Why is Fire Suppression Important?

There are several reasons why you want to prevent fires in your building, or stop fires from spreading. These include:

• Stopping fires from spreading means that you’ll reduce the damage done to your building as a whole. The less fire spreads, the less you’ll spend on repairs once it has been contained.
• When you suppress fires, you’re keeping yourself and your staff safe. It’ll be easier to evacuate, and there’s much less chance of injury due to fire or smoke.
• When you have the right suppression system in place, you’ll find that it’ll be much easier on your insurance premiums. Depending on the insurer, you may get money off your building insurance for this. You’ll also pay out less in general, should the worst happen and a fire breaks out.
• Keeping your building safe from fire means that your stock and assets will be safe from fire too. You don’t want to lose these to an outbreak of fire, so a good suppression system will actually save you a lot of money.

What is a Fire Suppression System Exactly?

In general, a fire suppression system is any system that’s designed to stop fires from spreading in a building.

They’re designed to detect when a fire occurs, whether that’s by smoke, heat, or other warning signals. Once it’s detected a fire is happening, it’ll work to suppress the fire by releasing a substance to put the fire out.

There are different substances depending on what you’ll need in your business to put a fire out. Many systems are designed to go off automatically, but there are manual release systems too.

Different Types of Fire Suppression Systems

There are several different types of fire suppression system, so you need to know you’re picking the one that’s right for you.

These are some of the most common systems available to you as a business owner. Which one is the right one for you?

Water Mist System

This type of fire suppression system is slightly different to a sprinkler system, as it’s not designed to flood a room to put out a fire. The mist it releases is designed to starve the fire of oxygen, so afterwards there won’t be as much water to clear up.

These are very popular as water is, of course, very easy to come by and is fairly cheap. You’ll also see there’s no need for a large water tanker to supply it, so it’s easier to install and keep up.

They’re good for larger areas that you want to protect in your building.

Kitchen Fire Suppression System

Kitchens need a very special kind of suppression system, as fires here will often be grease based. As you already know, grease fires can’t be put out with water or other regular kinds of fire suppression.

That’s why if you run a restaurant, you’re going to need a chemical mix system that’s designed for kitchens.

These are great as they can both be activated automatically or manually, keeping your kitchen safe, and there’s minimal damage. However, they need to be installed in cool kitchens, so they often need to be installed quite late at night when everything has cooled down.

CO2 Suppression System

These are a very popular choice for businesses, as CO2 is a highly effective fire suppression substance. If a fire is detected, the CO2 gas is released which smothers the fire quickly.

Since it’s a gas, there’s very little clean up after, and you don’t have to worry about damage to things like your PCs or machinery when it goes off.

Foam Deluge System

These systems work by spraying a large amount of foam onto a fire, suppressing it quickly. These are most commonly used in outdoor areas such as silos and oil tanks. They’re also excellent as they cover a wide range easily, so you can be sure a fire won’t spread.

It’s a wet agent, so you will need to consider whether it will cause damage to the area you’re protecting. It will also require some clean up, so you need to decide if the safety it gives you is worth that effort after a fire.

Clean Agent Fire Suppression System

These systems are designed to suppress fires without releasing potentially toxic chemicals into the atmosphere. They release an environmentally friendly chemical when triggered, putting out a fire.

If you’re committed to reducing your business’s impact on the planet, then this is the system for you.

Pneumatic Heat Detection Tube

This system is designed for smaller fire risks, such as those on boats or in electrical cabinets. The tube will detect heat and spray fire suppressing chemicals directly onto the source of the fire.

These are perfect for handling smaller fire risks, and should handle them at the smoldering stage rather than letting it actually start a fire. However, if you need fire suppression for a larger area this won’t be what you need.

Industrial Fire Suppression System

In industrial areas, there are plenty of hazards that need to be kept in mind.

There could be chemicals in the area, for example, which pose a fire risk. When you need to put that fire out, you’ll need to consider what you’re using to do so.

Industrial fire suppression systems will use dry chemicals to reduce risk and keep the building safe.

Conclusion

There are plenty of options if you need a fire suppression system for your business. Pick the model that will cover the area you need, and ensure that it can do it safely.

With the right system in place, fires should never be a worry for you again.