For commercial properties in Palm Desert, California, a complete fire protection system will consist of fire-suppression systems and fire alarm systems. A fire suppression system is designed to extinguish fires before they can spread throughout the building. The fire alarm system notifies people inside the building that there has been a fire so that everyone can evacuate safely.
Passive Protection Against Fire
One kind of fire protection system relies on the concept of passive fire protection. It consists of using building mechanisms themselves in order to control or limit fire when it breaks out. The building in this case will have ceilings, floors, or walls that make it difficult for fire or smoke to pass through.
In more common cases, they build walls that have compartmentation, which is then segmented into several parts in order to isolate fire into specific sections of the building. But this kind of passive protection is not enough if there are no further protections for the floor, wall, or ceiling.
The walls and doors in a passively protected property typically use fire rated walls and doors that prevent fire from passing in a horizontal manner. They carry a fire rating in terms of how long they can delay the fire, ranging from 20 minutes up to several hours.
The floors and ceilings must also be fire resistant, so they can create a horizontal barrier that will delay the spread of fire. This could also include steel wall, concrete slab, or a combination of both materials.
Active Protection Against Fire
There are also active protection systems that rely on more active approaches to minimizing or negating fire spread. These systems include fire sprinklers and smoke control systems. They can be either triggered manually or automatically, depending on the type installed.
Fire Sprinkler Systems
A fire sprinkler system is one of the most commonly used methods of actively protecting against fire. In these systems, water is released onto the fire as soon as it starts. This helps to put out the fire quickly by cooling down the flames and preventing them from spreading.
This method of fire protection is very effective because it allows the fire to be contained within an area where it cannot cause damage. However, it does require some maintenance and upkeep. If the pipes are damaged, the water flow may be reduced or stopped completely.
Smoke Control System
Another way of actively controlling fire is with a smoke control system. Smoke control systems work similarly to fire sprinklers, but instead of releasing water, they release chemicals that help reduce the amount of smoke produced by the fire.
These chemicals can be either dry chemical agents or wet chemical agents. Dry chemical agents contain sodium bicarbonate, ammonium chloride, calcium carbonate, potassium permanganate, and magnesium hydroxide. Wet chemical agents include sodium silicate, potassium nitrate, and ammonium phosphate.
The best fire protection systems will include both passive and active protection, and in order to be code compliant, these systems need to be inspected regularly by professionals like World Fire Protection. We are your best choice of fire protection systems inspection if you are based in Palm Desert CA or nearby areas. We have years of experience working with all types of buildings and we know what works well and what doesn’t work at all. Our team of experts will inspect your property thoroughly and provide you with an accurate assessment of its current condition. We will recommend any necessary repairs or replacements as needed, and we will ensure that your property complies with local codes and regulations.