The kitchen is the heartbeat of the livelihood of any restaurant owner. In the kitchen, chefs do their best to create sumptuous meals to the delight of customers. However, as good as the kitchen is, it is also the home of heat which is a potential fire risk.
Restaurants are more prone to fire accidents than any other business. According to the National Restaurant Association, about 57% of restaurant fires come from their cooking equipment. Even without the statistics, this is obvious because kitchen staff in restaurants are constantly exposed to fires and massive heat sources. These heat sources sometimes lead to fire outbreaks for various reasons.
The kitchen area of a restaurant is a sensitive one and, as such, requires a fire suppression system that is unique. Water-based extinguishers may not work in the kitchen because grease fires spread more when water is added. Therefore, to mitigate fire disasters, restaurants now make use of a kitchen fire suppression system.
In this blog post, we will show you how the kitchen fire suppression system works and its advantages.
How Does a Kitchen Fire Suppression System Work?
Fire suppression systems are like fire sprinkler systems. The only noticeable difference is that fire suppression systems use gases, liquids, or foam agents to quench fires instead of water.
Different brands have their unique designs for their suppression systems; however, the principles are the same. The system usually connects with the hood on the cooking station and the gas line running through it.
For fires to thrive, three things must be in place; fuel, oxygen, and heat. Like the sprinkler system, the kitchen hood suppression system gets activated when it detects flames or excessive heat. When the system is activated, it discharges wet chemicals via its nozzles. These nozzles are over the appliances and in the ventilation system over the hood of your cooking station. The wet chemicals quickly put out fires by covering the flame and starving it of oxygen.
Most kitchen hood suppression systems also come with a manual pull station that allows the kitchen staff to activate it when the system does not sense the heat of a fire early enough.
The hood suppression system will also cut off the power to the appliances and outlets under the hood to eliminate any shock hazards or sparks that could ignite another fire. To deprive the fire of its fuel, the suppression system will also shut off the gas to all appliances. This method helps to stop fires in the kitchen without allowing them to spread to other stations.
Where are Hood Fire Suppression Systems Required?
Kitchen fires are dangerous and can quickly get out of hand. Therefore, hood fire suppression systems are required in all restaurants and commercial kitchens. It serves as a safety measure to help keep fires within control. Also, the system helps to put out fires without shutting down the entire operation of the kitchen. As a result, you will find most fire suppression systems in restaurant kitchens; however, they are also installed in stadiums, hotels, churches, conference centers, and other commercial cooking areas.
What are the Benefits of a Hood Suppression System?
The following are some benefits of using a hood suppression system:
- It reduces the potential damage of a fire to a commercial kitchen.
- Workers can easily clean up after a fire incident since it stops the fire when it's at a station.
- Only one station and the food in it gets affected.
- The system is easy to use.
- You can avoid chemical contamination in other foods in the kitchen.
Kitchen Hood Fire Suppression Sales, Inspections & Service
Koorsen Fire & Security is a leader in the kitchen fire suppression systems. Since 1946, we have designed, installed, inspected, and maintained hood suppression systems for restaurants and commercial kitchens throughout the Midwest and South. If you need a new system or an inspection or repair, contact Koorsen today for all of your kitchen fire protection needs.
