Monday, May 4, 2009

Do I Need Automatic Fire Extinguishers?

By Brian Blaze

When you want to make sure that your business is well protected from fire, you'll find that having a good fire system on hand is of the utmost importance. In case of emergency, fast fire suppression is essential, and the more you know about the extinguishers that you have available to you, the more you will be able to protect the property that is important to you. Consider how automatic fire extinguishers can help you!

How do automatic fire extinguishers work?

In some systems, the automatic fire extinguishers are going to be installed in the ceiling of your property in a network of pipes and cylinders. In other systems, you'll discover that the automatic fire extinguishers will be installed with sprinklers for doubled protection.

The main difference between these extinguishers and the traditional manual models is that the automatic versions come with sensors. The sensors are designed to detect an increase in temperature or the presence of smoke. When the sensors detect these changes, they release their suppressive substance, usually either powder or inert gas depending on the environment where the automatic fire extinguishers are going to be used.

Types of Extinguishers Available

Automatic fire extinguishers, as mentioned above, come in different forms based on the substance they release in order to quell the fire. Some of the extinguishers use powders while others use inert gas. The powder forms can use a wide range of chemicals which are meant to interfere in the chemical reaction between the heat, fuel, and oxygen. When that reaction cannot be made, the fire cannot be sustained.

On the other hand, there are automatic fire extinguishers that use inert gases to take away th oxygen that was feeding the fire. Carbon dioxide gas might be used for this purpose or a combination of Argonite and Inergen might serve.

Choosing the Right Extinguisher for Your Needs

Those are the two main types of automatic fire extinguishers that are available, so make sure that you choose the one that best suits you. First, do you want automatic fire extinguishers or do you want the manual model? Automatic fire extinguishers work the best in an enclosed space. When dealing with areas like this, the fire can do a great deal of damage and it needs to be stopped right away.

If you are dealing with an area that has computers or other sensitive electronic equipment, buy automatic fire extinguishers that use inert gas. There is not going to be any residue left behind and you won't risk damaging your equipment. If you are dealing with a marina, a garage or confined rooms that have no electrical equipment, choose the powder forms.

Always make sure that your automatic fire extinguishers, no matter what model you choose to use, is installed by a professional. There's is nothing more upsetting than putting in a good system only to have it fail, and always make sure that you check the automatic fire extinguishers on a regular basis and that you test them to make sure that they are in good working order.

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