Testing Your Building's Fire Protection System

Fire can be one of the biggest threats that your building may have to face. Unfortunately, it is possible for a fire to rapidly sweep through a building, and this could lead to loss of life and extensive property damage. To mitigate these threats, buildings should have fire protection systems installed. Due to the fact that these systems may not be used very frequently, it can be necessary to have them periodically tested to ensure that they are still in operational condition. Luckily, there are fire protection system testing services that can assist you with this process.

Testing The System's Capabilities To Detect That A Fire Is Occurring 

Your fire protection system will have to be able to detect that there are smoke and flames present in the building in order for it to automatically activate. To do this, these systems will use a number of smoke detectors, fire sensors, and other devices to monitor the building's interior. As part of the testing process, these sensors and components should have their status verified to ensure that they are still operational. In cases of systems that have backup batteries to ensure they work during an electrical outage, these batteries should have their ability to retain a charge tested to make sure that they have not degraded over the years.

Verifying The Condition Of Fire Sprinkler Systems

A fire sprinkler system can be a very effective tool for stopping flames that erupt. These sprinklers will be capable of activating and spraying the interior space with water to extinguish the flames that may have been burning. Unfortunately, these sprinkler systems can be prone to suffering some significant problems. For example, it can be possible for the sprinkle heads to become coated with enough dust to potentially jam them and prevent them from activating. Additionally, the water level in the sprinkler system's pipes should be measured to determine whether a leak has developed.

Evaluating Fire Doors

For commercial buildings, fire doors can be a common requirement of the local building code. These doors can be closed to stop a fire from being able to spread through the building. To ensure that these doors close during a fire, they may be connected to an automated system. This system can close these doors if a fire is detected. Unfortunately, gaps and other issues with the fire doors can lead to them being incapable of stopping or slowing the flames as they may simply go through the gaps that have been created. Checking the fire doors to make sure that they form a tight seal will need to be done during this evaluation.