Restaurants have all the ingredients for a small kitchen fire to quickly become an out of control blaze. Open flames, cooking oils and hot cooking equipment contribute to the nearly 8,000 restaurant fires that are reported each year. Restaurant owners know all too well what a fire can do to their business. A devastating fire can result in lost revenues and potentially a total loss of the business. Periodic maintenance, testing and inspection of your commercial kitchen fire suppression system can help ensure your business is protected against fires and are key to minimizing the damage caused by a fire. Approximately 57% of all restaurant fires involve cooking equipment thus having a commercial kitchen fire suppression professionally installed is critical to protecting your business
Periodic preventive maintenance for commercial kitchen fire suppression systems
NFPA 17, 17a, 72, and NFPA 96 detail the requirements for Inspections, tests, and maintenance on kitchen ventilation hoods and fire suppression systems. The equipment manufacturer or an authorized commercial kitchen fire suppression system installation or maintenance company should accomplish the following minimum inspections, tests and maintenance on your commercial kitchen fire suppression system. Additional manufacturer’s instructions and updated code requirements may be required. Maintenance tags shall be attached to each fire suppression system to allow recording the inspector’s initials, date, and confirmation on maintenance/inspections performed. A system inspection tag shall be used to document the manufacture and installation dates for any fusible links incorporated into the system. In addition to the aforementioned documentation, a signed and dated log of maintenance and a certificate showing date of exhaust system inspection or cleaning shall be maintained and available. Minimum inspection, testing and maintenance requirements include:
- Monthly, inspect extinguishing system nozzles located directly above grease producing equipment
- Monthly, inspect manual actuators to ensure they are unobstructed
- Monthly, inspect tamper indicators and seals to ensure they are intact
- Monthly, inspect the maintenance tag or certificate to ensure it is in place
- Monthly, inspect and verify no obvious physical damage or condition exists that might prevent operation
- Monthly, inspect the pressure gauge(s) to ensure they are in operable range
- Monthly, inspect the nozzle blow-off caps to ensure they are intact and undamaged
- Monthly, inspect and verify neither protected equipment nor hazard has been replaced, modified, or relocated
- Semiannually, test gas and electric power shutoff to ensure they are operational
- Semiannually, test water-wash hood cleaning systems to ensure they are operational in conjunction with hoods protected by sprinkler systems
- Quarterly and Semiannually, perform maintenance to remove grease from the exhaust system
- Semiannually, test recirculating systems operation and safety interlocks performance in or more frequently accordance with mfg’s instructions. if needed.
- Weekly, perform maintenance on recirculating systems to clean precipitators
- Quarterly, perform maintenance on recirculating systems to clean entire hood plenum and blower section
- Annually, perform maintenance to replace fixed temperature sensing elements of the fusible alloy type
- Annually, perform maintenance to clean fixed temperature sensing elements other than the fusible metal alloy type
- Semiannually, test manual release stations to ensure they are operational and send a signal to the building fire alarm control panel.
- Semiannually, test automatic release devices to ensure they are operational and send a signal to the building fire alarm control panel.
- Semiannually, test water flow, valve tamper, and low water pressure cutoffs to ensure they are operational.
- Semiannually, perform maintenance to examine detectors, expellant gas containers, agent containers, releasing devices, piping, hose assemblies, nozzles, signals, and all auxiliary equipment
- Semiannually, test and verify that the agent distribution piping is not obstructed.
- Every 6 years, inspect and examine dry chemical in stored pressure systems for caking
- Every 12 years, test wet and dry chemical extinguishing systems (agent containers, aux. pressure containers, hose assemblies) by performing a hydrostatic pressure test
Contact Jasperwood Fire Equipment Company Today
Jasperwood Fire Equipment Company has been providing fire equipment sales and service to the Texas Panhandle since 1953. Jasperwood Fire Equipment Company provides complete fire protection services for restaurants, commercial kitchens and other industries in the Texas Panhandle including Plainview TX, Amarillo TX and Lubbock TX as well as the surrounding areas. Jasperwood Fire Equipment Company is your best solution for all fire protection and fire suppression system products and services. Don’t gamble with the safety of your business, your employees, your valuable assets or your guests.
Request Information, Service, Training Or A Quote or call Jasperwood Fire Equipment Company TODAY. In Amarillo TX call (806) 373-0000, in Lubbock TX call (806) 793-3000 and in Plainview TX call (806) 296-9789.