Water sprinklers installed in the ceiling are commonly used as part of a fire suppression system. However, these aren’t always the best choice for every building. Some buildings house lots of sensitive equipment, including electronics, as well as important documents. It is possible for these items to sustain more damage from the water sprinkler system than from the fire itself. For buildings that store sensitive items, a clean agent fire suppression system may work best.
Exploring How Clean Agent Suppression Works
There are a few components of a clean agent fire suppression system. It consists of smoke detectors, which activate the control panels when smoke is detected. Subsequently, the control panels activate a network of piping, directing the clean agent to be released through the pipes and targeted precisely to the area where the fire has been sparked. Unlike water sprinklers, clean agent systems work by releasing a gaseous agent, rather than a liquid one. When the gas or mixture of gases is released, it acts to reduce or isolate oxygen. Since fire needs oxygen to continue to burn, the significant reduction of oxygen in the targeted area will extinguish the fire without the need for water.
Identifying the Benefits of Clean Agent Suppression
The main benefit of clean agent fire suppression systems is that they are highly effective at quickly extinguishing fires. They also do not inflict water damage on the building’s electronics, documents, artwork, or other valuable items. Of course, the significant reduction of oxygen can affect human inhabitants. To solve this dilemma, clean agent suppression systems also release audible notification alerts. These alerts, along with the alarm from the smoke detectors, warn human occupants to vacate the area immediately before the clean agent is released. In this manner, the clean agent system can protect the health and well-being of the occupants.
The expert technicians at Kazal Fire Protection, Inc. can install a wide range of fire detection and suppression systems, including those that use clean agents rather than water sprinklers. To learn more about your options, call us in Tucson at (520) 323-1518. Our team also provides maintenance and repair services on all types of fire protection systems.