Commercial kitchens pose one of the greatest risks for fires. Your restaurant is full of industrial, high-heat equipment that often comes into contact with cooking oils and grease, all of which present a significant fire hazard. Protecting your kitchen staff and the equipment within your kitchen is paramount, but can be tricky. Fire extinguishers are cumbersome and not conducive to the cooking environment, and water only makes grease fires worse. This is why your restaurant fire suppression system is so important.
A restaurant fire protection system provides the safe, efficient solution your kitchen needs to quickly extinguish any fire hazard, directly at the source of most kitchen fires — the cooking surface.
If you’re new to the restaurant industry, or if you’re looking for a new commercial kitchen fire suppression system, this basic guide to commercial kitchen fire suppression systems will help you learn how restaurant fire suppression systems work and how you maintain them.
This 3 part article provides information that will help the reader better understand The Basics Of Commercial Kitchen Fire Suppression Systems:
- The Basic Components of a Restaurant Fire Suppression System
- How Does A Restaurant Fire Suppression System Work
- Restaurant Fire Suppression Systems with Manual Pull Station
- When Does a Kitchen Need a Restaurant Fire Suppression System
- How Do I Maintain My Kitchen’s Restaurant Fire Suppression System
- How often should I clean my kitchen hood
Part 1 addresses The Basic Components of a Restaurant Fire Suppression System and How Does A Restaurant Fire Suppression System Work. Part 2 will address Restaurant Fire Suppression Systems with Manual Pull Station and When Does a Kitchen Need a Restaurant Fire Suppression System. Part 3 will address How Do I Maintain My Kitchen’s Restaurant Fire Suppression System and How often should I clean my kitchen hood.
The Basic Components of a Restaurant Fire Suppression System
While there are a number of restaurant fire suppression systems on the market, they all feature many of the same basic components to protect your commercial kitchen in the event of a fire. Most restaurant fire suppression systems are connected to your cooking station in two key places:
- The hood over your cooking station
- The gas line running through the cooking station
These two connections make up the most important components of your restaurant fire suppression system — the part that cuts the fuel, and the part that applies the chemical fire suppressant. Let’s take a closer look at how these two components work to stop an actual kitchen fire.
How Does A Restaurant Fire Suppression System Work?
In the event of a fire, this is how your restaurant fire suppression system will respond:
- If the system is tripped, it will automatically shut off the gas valve and electrical source under the hood, thus eliminating the fuel source of the fire.
- Many kitchen fires, like grease fires, can continue to burn and spread even after the gas has been shut off. This is why restaurant fire suppression systems have that second component — a series of nozzles installed in the hood over your cooking station.
- When the system is tripped, those nozzles discharge a wet chemical fire suppressant. This suppressant is specially developed to suppress grease fires and prevent them from re-igniting.
- Finally, the kitchen hood will also kick on to help remove smoke from your kitchen.
When actuated quickly, these systems are exceptionally efficient and can put out commercial kitchen fires in seconds. The speed of a restaurant fire suppression system is necessary to ensure that the fire doesn’t spread, protecting your staff and other important components of your kitchen.
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Contact Jay L. Harman Fire Equipment in El Paso TX at 915-533-7021 or Las Cruces NM at 575-523-8880.
Since 1925, we have protected businesses throughout the area from the harms and hazards of fires. Every Jay L Harman technician is licensed and regulated by the Texas Department of Insurance State Fire Marshal’s Office. Each of these technicians continually receives the most up-to-date factory training and certifications by our manufacturers. Contact Jay L Harman Fire Equipment today. Let our friendly and knowledgeable staff tell you more about our fire suppression systems and help you find the ideal fire suppression system for your needs. Learn more about our full offering of fire extinguisher training, firefighting services, firefighting products, request a quote, ask a question or request additional information.