Fire extinguisher inspection: A must-have checklist!

Having a well-planned fire protection system is crucial for both commercial and residential buildings, of course, by now you know this already. But do you know your responsibility is not limited to just installing fire protection systems in your building? In fact, it’s the first step to ensure your place is safe from fire accidents. Once you’ve fire protection systems installed in your building, the next step is maintenance and inspection. Therefore, you need to consider fire system inspection once a month to ensure your building complies with the fire protection standards and codes.

In this post, we will talk about monthly inspection of the fire extinguisher - A device used to extinguish small fires in emergency situations. Please remember, monthly inspections can’t replace annual inspection by a fire protection professional. When it comes to monthly fire inspections, these can be performed on your own or you hire a fire extinguisher service provider in New Jersey. And they are designed to fill the gaps in annual inspections so that your building has working fire protection systems.

Here are some of the steps you need to follow for completing your monthly fire extinguisher inspection in a few months.

• Make sure your fire extinguishers are located in the right places, and they shouldn’t be blocked by furniture or any other obstructions.
• Everyone or at least a few people should be trained on how to use the nearest fire extinguisher in a fire emergency. This is the fastest and most effective way to extinguish a fire in the beginning stage. Also, you can prevent a fire from spreading to other areas in your building.
• When it comes to performing fire extinguisher inspection, check the locking pin of your extinguisher is intact and make sure the tamper seal is not broken. This will help you know that no one has tampered with the fire extinguisher.
• When inspecting the tank look for any physical damage, leaks, or corrosion. Also, the hose shouldn’t be broken, the nozzle shouldn’t be clogged and make sure the handle isn’t damaged.

• Another important step in fire extinguisher inspection is examining the pressure gauge. Make sure it is green - an indication of a fully charged fire extinguisher.
• The operating instructions and nameplate must be correct, legible and facing outward.

In conclusion

This is an important fire extinguisher inspection checklist you must have. After inspection, if you find any problems in your fire extinguisher, immediately notify the safety department to find out whether you need canisters recharge, repair or replacement.

A different variety of fire sprinkler systems for fire safety

Fire can bring great harm to lives and property. Its devastating impact can be seen in the Amazon forest. Even in our day-to-day life, we are surrounded by potential life threatening elements that can result in massive fire mishaps in buildings, restaurants, hotels, malls, movie theaters and many other places. Thus, the best way to prevent fire mishaps is by cutting off the root cause and that is possible with a fire sprinkler system that can be installed in every corner of the building that helps to detect the fire and sprinkle water when they detect smoke.

Thus, if you are thinking about opening your own restaurant or moving to a new residence as a tenant, make sure that the place is equipped with fire safety systems. And if not, you can get in touch with fire sprinkler services in New York to get them installed or even get the previously installed systems inspected.

Here is the list of sprinker systems you can install for complete fire protection.

Wet pipe sprinkler - These are one of the simplest forms of fire sprinkler systems that are easy to maintain and install. Wet pipe sprinklers contain water in the fire sprinkler pipes that sprinkle immediately when smoke is detected.

Dry Pipe Systems - As the name suggests, these systems contain nitrogen gas instead of water. They are completely different from wet pipe sprinkler systems. And, the water is held back by a valve until the system is activated and the pipe contains pressurized air and they are often installed where the wet pipes are at risk of freezing.

Pre-action Sprinkler System - These are quite similar to the dry sprinkler system with the only difference being that each sprinkler head is activated individually when the fire is detected. These systems are great in places where an accidental discharge of sprinklers would cause extensive damage.

ESFR – Early Suppression Fast Response systems are a great option for warehouses. An ESFR system is a high volume, high-velocity system that is located in the ceiling to protect the storage area.

These are the few types of Fire sprinkler systems that you can install for great fire safety. If you are looking for proficient experts for fire sprinkler services in New York, then you must get in touch with FireServ.

How to maintain your commercial fire alarm systems?

Now that you have invested in fire alarm systems to protect your commercial place, maintenance is important to ensure it works in the event fire incident. Suppose, you have a fire alarm system installed in your commercial building, but due to lack of maintenance it fails to alarm people about the fire emergency, is it useful? Of course not! This is why to completely ensure your property and lives are protected, both fire alarm installations and maintenance are essential.

Do you know with proper care a fire alarm can last up to two decades before there is a need to replace it? Here is everything you need to know for keeping your fire alarm in the best working conditions.

Keep a track on the age of your fire alarm

Well, the fire alarm maintenance depends on various factors, age is one of the most important. This means fire alarm with different ages has different maintenance needs, so you’ll need to keep an eye on the age of your fire alarm.

For example, if the age of the fire alarm is 5-10 years old, a number of environmental factors can result in breaking down its components. Due to fluctuations in voltage, humidity and temperature, your fire alarm may fail. For fire alarm with age between 10-15 years, maintenance is required and can still work well. And you may need very extensive maintenance for fire alarms older than 15 years.

Maintaining your fire alarm system

When it comes to fire alarm system maintenance, most of us tend to neglect it or don’t know how to maintain their fire alarm. As a result, they may have a fire alarm system that fails to work during a fire emergency. Therefore, it is important to be watchful about calibrating and testing your fire alarm’s sensors. Your fire alarm manufacturer has given you the exact specifications about testing and calibrating. To test your fire alarm, you need to learn about its failure modes, sensors, and requirements for re-installing.

Get you fire alarm tested by the professionals annually

Each fire alarm system is provided with manufacturer’s recommended guidelines, but as per the standard, you need to get your fire alarm inspected yearly. In fact, some local agencies would require you to test your fire alarm more frequently, make sure you’re aware of the guidelines in your state.

In closing

Fire alarm system is the first line of defense during a fire emergency, as it helps people evacuate the building within the time and alert them about fire. Hence, save lives as well as property from damage. For this reason, fire alarm installations is not enough, you need to consider regular fire alarm maintenance in your commercial building to ensure it works in the fire event.

Fire Protection: Preventative Tips For Restaurants

If you have visited a restaurant that has an open kitchen, you might have seen chefs and other staff members play with fire. Even though they might seem fascinating to you, this is what makes restaurant kitchens extremely risky. It is thus important to install restaurant fire suppression systems for the safety of people and your property. Not just this, it is also very important that proper restaurant fire suppression maintenance is undertaken to ensure your fire suppression systems are working properly if something goes wrong.

It is difficult to ascertain the real reason behind a fatal fire. A restaurant kitchen is equipped with so many tools, cooking equipment, electronics, appliances, oils, and chemicals. Therefore, a kitchen is always at a risk of fire mishaps. Installing proper fire prevention systems is thus very important for any restaurant. Moreover, having fire protection and life safety systems in place is also mandatory to be in compliance with local, state and national security standards.

Below is some information on how you can keep your restaurant safe from minor and major fire accidents.

Why is preventative maintenance important?

It is crucial for every commercial kitchen to take preventative maintenance measures to curb the possibility of a fire mishap. The best way to deal with this is to install Restaurant Fire Suppression Systems and its regular maintenance. Other methods are the installation of fire extinguishers and conducting prior inspections.

Below mentioned are the preventative tips:

• Portable fire extinguishers: In addition to other equipment, every commercial kitchen must install portable fire extinguishers. This will be very helpful in times of emergencies. For a commercial kitchen, a class K fire extinguisher is the best bet. The most commonly used ingredients in a kitchen are oils, grease, and fats. It must be noted that class K fires are best suitable for hood suppression systems.
• Class A, B, C fire extinguishers: A restaurant should also be equipped with class A, B, and C fire extinguishers to avoid fires from paper, wood, and electricity.
• Fire suppression systems: The main reason behind restaurant fires is cooking equipment and usage of oils. It is very important to install fire suppression systems in a commercial kitchen setting. Make sure the system is inspected by a licensed professional before and after installation.

Spread awareness and train your staff

Make sure that the staff at your restaurant has proper awareness and knowledge about how to use the fire suppression system and its maintenance. Training the staff will help you in taking a proactive action in case of a fire emergency.

About FireServ

Fireservis one of the leading fire protection and suppression systems and maintenance service providers. With the experience of more than a decade in providing commercial and residential settings with fire safety products, FireServ ensures that you stay safe from fire mishaps.

How to look for quality fire alarm services?

You must be surprised to know that from 2011-2015 fire mishaps at home or office buildings are responsible for 12,300 civilian casualties and a loss of $6.7 billion direct damage. No one wishes to be part of it but due to ignorance on a daily basis, such mishaps happen and often lead to a major catastrophe. There can be numerous causes of such mishaps, but only one thing that can avoid all this is fire alarm and extinguisher systems installed on your property. But this doesn’t mean your job is done. Even a slight ignorance can lead to a major fire mishap. 

A fire alarm system is generally installed at the time of construction and might not come in use for years. Thus it becomes crucial to look for a reliable expert or company that can help you  install the best fire alarm systems and even help you maintain them. You can hire them on a quarterly or annual basis depending upon your needs and requirements. As a matter of fact, Hotels, restaurants, industries and manufacturing units are more prone to fire than your house. 

And, for the best fire alarm repair and maintenance services, you have to look for a proficient expert to assure impeccable services. 

Here are the following points that you must keep in mind while searching for them. 

First and most important, you must look for a professional who is experienced and licensed and has been around for years. To find such an expert, you can take references from friends and family or look for a company that has 4+ rating on Yelp. You can also google them and get the contact details, and can also check whether they are licensed or not.  

Once you had made the list of proficient experts who offer fire alarm service near you, give them a call and discuss with them their availability, and ask whether they can provide a free estimate or not. Check what they quote for the required services, how much experience they have, are they well equipped with the latest equipment and what all services are they going to offer. Also if possible visit their website and check the reviews by their previous customers on Yelp or Google.              

Keep these points in mind and you can easily find a reliable source to help you find the best fire alarm service.            

Fire sprinkler maintenance: Things to know about requirements

Every facility or building in New York is mandated to have a well-planned fire protection system. A fire sprinkler is one of the most important parts of the fire suppression system. It acts as the first line of defense in the event of a fire. Since fire sprinkler is an integral part of our fire safety plan, it should be regularly maintained or inspected.

Now, you must be wondering when it is the right time to consider fire sprinkler system services such as maintenance or inspection. Although today, most of the companies who do fire suppression systems installation also perform regular maintenance and inspection of those systems. These companies usually keep their customers updated when it comes a fire sprinkler maintenance, testing, and inspection. However, it is also important for property owners or business managers to know how often they should get their sprinkler systems maintained or inspected.

Below, we have explained how often you should get your fire sprinkler system inspected or tested.

Fire sprinkler systems are comprised of various different parts, which include gauges, switches, and pipes. And each part needs regular maintenance and inspection to make sure they work well in the event of a fire outbreak.

Read further to know how often should each part of the fire sprinkler gets inspected or maintained.

Monthly - Since the gauges play an integral role in any fire sprinkler system, they should be inspected in pre-action, dry and deluge systems. This needs to be done at least once a week to make sure they remain at their best working conditions. In case of wet pipe gauges, they can go a month without any inspection or maintenance.

Every three months - You need to hire professionals to carry out more extensive inspections once every three months. This type of inspection is usually performed on valve alarm devices, water flow alarm devices, signal devices, control valves, fire department connections, and hydraulic nameplates.

Yearly - Yearly inspections are carried out at the hangar/seismic bracing, pipework and fitting, and the sprinklers.

Every five years - It is advisable to inspect all internal pipework of your fire sprinkler system. This is usually done to check for blockages, and fix it whenever required.

Fire sprinkler system plays a crucial role in any fire safety plan. This is why it should be regularly maintained and inspected to make sure it is fit for the purpose.

What to expect during an annual fire sprinkler inspection?

Each year, thousands of people lose their lives during a fire accident in the commercial as well as residential buildings. This means fire accidents are one of the major causes of death in the United States and around the world. Hence, it is essential to install proper fire protection systems in both commercial and residential buildings. A fire sprinkler system is one of the crucial fire suppression systems that every homeowner and business owner should install. This type of system helps in extinguishing fire flames. However, just installing is not enough, you need to consider proper maintenance and repair fire sprinkler system services to ensure your fire sprinkler system serves the purpose during a fire event.

If you already have a fire sprinkler system and considering to get it inspected for the first time, here’s what you can expect.

Do you know the basic purpose of fire suppression inspections is to help building owners find out the potential problems in their systems? Fire sprinkler inspections usually happen weekly, monthly, quarterly, annually, 3-years and 5-years.

When you hire a fully licensed and certified fire sprinkler inspection professional, you can expect your contractor to inspect for the following:

Your contractor will look for any physical damage - First of all, your contractor will perform a physical check on your fire sprinkler system to look for any signs of damage. Your technician will carefully check at each component of your sprinkler system, such as water flow alarm, check valve, relief valve, main control valve, and sprinkler piping. If they detect any physical damage, your fire sprinkler will immediately undergo repairs.

Your contractor will confirm extra sprinkler heads - Once the physical check is completed, your contractor will confirm whether you have extra sprinkler heads in place or not. For example, if your sprinkler head is damaged, having an extra sprinkler head is necessary. This is to ensure that the damaged head is replaced immediately so that the system gets back into service.

Checking main drain line - A fire sprinkler system is a wet fire protection system. This means it requires a regular and sufficient supply of water all the time, as fire mishap can occur anytime. Hence, your fire sprinkler technician will check your main drain line to make sure your fire sprinkler gets enough amount of water flow.

To conclude -

These are some of the things you can expect during a fire sprinkler inspection. With regular maintenance and inspection of your fire sprinkler, you can ensure the safety of your property, loved ones, or customers, staff, clients, and yourself. If you’re planning to schedule your first fire sprinkler inspection, make sure you keep these things in your mind. It is always a good idea to be well-informed so that you know what is happening during the fire sprinkler system or whether your contractor is doing it right or not.

How Often Should My Fire Sprinkler System Be Inspected?

Do you wonder why installing fire sprinkler systems are mandatory? Do you know what fire sprinkler systems are? Well, your building depends on a network of fire protection equipment so that the building and the people inside stay safe from fire mishaps. Although sprinkler systems are pretty mainstream, there are a lot of people who have no idea as to why installing fire sprinklers are important.

Additionally the installation of this equipment will help you in understanding the importance of fire sprinkler services and maintenance.

According to the National Fire Protection Act, it is essential to maintain the fire sprinkler systems. This ensures that the systems are functioning properly. Mentioned below is a look at the recommended timelines for performing inspections and why is it important?

How often should fire sprinklers be inspected?

Inspections are necessary at least once a week. According to the NFPA, mentioned below is the inspection schedule one should follow.

Weekly or Monthly: In case you have a pre-action,dry or deluge sprinklers systems, make sure they are inspected at least once a week. On the other hand, if you have wet pipe sprinkler systems installed, these systems can be inspected once a month.

Annually: Once a year, inspect the pipes and fittings.

Quarterly: Make sure you get your water flow alarm, valve supervisory alarm devices, and hydraulic nameplates inspected.

Every 5 years: Fire sprinkler systems save lives. Conducting an inspection of sprinkler piping is mandatory once every five years. According to the National Fire Protection Association, it has been found that when this equipment is paired with other safety systems, it is capable of lessening property damage, injuries, and death by more than 50%.

These are some of the timelines you should follow to perform fire sprinkler inspections. Keep them in mind and follow them. Also before you get started, make sure you look for a company that has experts who are well trained with proper qualifications and knowledge. The qualification must consist of factory training, certification, and licensure to perform fire sprinkler inspections and tests.

How Can You Maintain Your Fire Extinguishers?

Ever thought why fire extinguishers are important? It is imperative to have fire extinguishers in every building. Every time you enter a building, you will find an extinguisher. But what if that extinguisher does not function properly? The most common reason behind this is irregular inspection and fire extinguisher maintenance. Hence, it is very important that all the fire extinguishers are inspected and maintained on a monthly basis. Furthermore, there are various types of fire extinguishers that are used for different purposes. Below mentioned are some.

Types of Fire Extinguishers

Before you buy or use a fire extinguisher, you should know what types of fire it is made to handle.

Class A: Materials, like cloth, wood or paper

Class B: Flammable liquids

Class C: Appliance, electrical

Class D: Metals

Class K: Cooking oils

Tips to maintain fire extinguishers

The first thing to do is to check whether the fire extinguisher is fully charged or not. This is one of the important things for keeping the regular pressure of fire extinguishers in case you want to use it. Next, based on different types of buildings, there are different types of fire extinguishers used. For example, a restaurant will have different fire protection than a library. In case you are not sure which fire extinguisher to use, check with the fire extinguisher maintenance company.

Furthermore, check whether the fire extinguisher is properly maintained or not. There are times when a fire extinguisher has some dents on it. But these dents don't necessarily mean that the extinguishers cannot be used. In fact, dented extinguishers are tested and returned to the service and all the history of the maintenance will be available on the inspection tag.

Test the Hardware

It is important to check and test the extinguishers because sometimes they get clogged. You can get in touch with a fire protection company if you think there is a clog. The experts will examine the situation and get it solved as soon as possible.

Clean

Check whether your fire extinguisher is tested properly or not. Also, check for other damages. Make sure you clean all the dirt that might have accumulated on it. Remember, most of the fire extinguishers can be used for a long time if cleaned and maintained properly. Additionally, do not forget to check the expiration date. In case it is more than 10 years, get a new one.

Most of the people out there tend to ignore the significance of fire extinguishers for the safety of their homes. Do your research and make sure you know how to use them. To know more about fire extinguisher compliance and maintenance, Contact Fireserv.

The Importance of Functional Panic Bars

Panic bars can be added to any door to serve as an essential safeguard in case of fire or other emergency. They are devices that include a spring loaded metal bar that opens and unlocks a door when pressed. These devices are strategically placed on doors around hotels, hospitals, commercial places and all other buildings where there may be crowded.

The importance of panic bars cannot be ignored- they can save lives in the worst scenarios.

Panic Bars, also known as push bars or crash bars, first began to appear in buildings in 1908 as a response to hundreds of death due to locked doors during fires. After a countless number of tragedies, the United States and other countries began to implement laws that require these emergency devices in every building. After the panic bars installations, the death rate decreased dramatically.

Not convinced yet?

In addition to providing a safe exit in case of fire, fucntional panic bars have umpteen number of benefits. Below mentioned are some.

Benefits of panic bars installations

Less Insurance Rates: The proper installation and maintenance of panic bars in buildings can automatically lessen insurance rates. Anything that increases the safety of buildings will ultimately have an effect on the insurance premiums of buildings. In case of other emergencies, panic bars can be just as effective and essential in situations other than fires. Natural disasters, gas leaks, and other dangerous events are cases in which well placed and maintained panic bars can save lives.

Security: Alarm activated panic bars can offer a level of security that normal doors cannot provide. For example: in the case of a robbery, it could allow people to exit while also activating the security alarm. It can activate the alarm for attempted entry from outside, helping to prevent burglary.

Legal Compliance: It is a legal need to have properly working and well maintained panic bars in any building that holds a huge crowd of people. Proper maintenance of these doors is also needed to be compliant.

These are some of the added yet most essential benefits for the safety of the people in your building.

To ensure the safety of your building, Contact the experts at Fire Serv. The experts at Fire Serv are available seven days a week for appointments and emergency service.

What Do You Need To Know About Fire Alarm System Inspections?

Fire safety might not be the first thing on your mind as you try to run and grow your business. But taking the mandatory steps to make sure your fire system is tested and in compliance with the requirements outlined by the fire code goes a long way in keeping you, your employees and your business safe.

Fire alarms not only keep your employees safe but also alert the authorities if a fire takes place outside of business hours. Additionally, it is mandatory to keep these systems maintained and inspected so that they work properly. Hence, it is necessary to hire fire alarm services. A fire alarm technician will determine whether or not your fire alarm systems are functioning properly. They will also identify areas that require attention, such as faulty components that need to be removed.


Talking about fire alarm system inspections, it is recommended to get them inspected by a fire alarm technician who has enough knowledge about the equipment used during the process.


Fire alarm system inspections are also important to make sure that all the components are functioning properly. These components consist of the following:

• Emergency shutdown equipment
  
• Smoke detectors
  
• Horns
  
• Strobes
  
• Fire doors
  

Where fire testing ensures that fire alarms are functioning properly, inspections can examine what is stopping the fire alarms to function properly. In case, there are any issues in your fire protection equipment that is still less than 5 years old, it is recommended to install a new piece of equipment. Fire equipment discloses the underlying causes of these issues. After a certain number of years of using these systems, Issues like humidity, corrosion, voltage problems will start taking place.


To conclude, safety should be your first priority. There are a number of things you need to keep in mind in order to stay safe. Furthermore, whether you need fire alarm systems, smoke detectors, etc installed at your place or office, there are a lot of fire companies out there who have got you covered.

Want to get your fire alarm system inspected? Looking for fire alarm services? Do not hesitate to get in touch with the experts at FireServ. They will complete the inspection and will guide you properly. For more fire safety tips, visit us at fireserv

Type and Age of Your Restaurant Fire Suppression System and inspection interval

A restaurant fire suppression system is an integral safety item for each restaurant kitchen whether big or small. As a matter of fact, even a small fire can lead to catastrophic loss in no time. Thus, it is not only important for restaurants to have a fire suppression system in place but also get adequate restaurant fire system inspection from time to time.

 

However, it becomes a daunting to understand how to keep restaurant fire suppression system up to mark and when to look for restaurant Fire Suppression Inspections.

So, we have enlisted points that can help you take adequate steps for restaurant fire suppression inspections.

First and foremost, it is very important the you must acknowledge the type of kitchen suppression system your kitchen is equipped with. And check if it is in compliance with safety standards and code. Often restaurants that are quite old and not updated in decade have "dry" restaurant fire suppression system. These are sometimes found to be ineffective and needs to be updated for today’s kitchens.

Making use of “wet” fire suppression system is beneficial because it prevents re-ignition of a fire once the system is tripped. It also helps in restricting electric or natural gas that causes fire breakouts.

Inspection interval

Restaurant Fire Suppression Inspections are quite necessary and should be carried out at specified interval by proficient experts.

Monthly: Whether the restaurant is managed by the owner or a head of management, they must perform fire suppression system inspections at the end or beginning of every month for any signs of trouble.

Quarterly: A restaurant manager must get in touch with an expert to get the condition of the fan blades checked and have them cleaned and greased if required. Properly inspect the signs of wear or corrosion of the systems that might need expert assistance.

Annual: A restaurant must look for reliable and qualified technician for restaurant fire suppression inspections.

Hope this article has helped you understand how and when you need restaurant fire suppression inspections.