Commercial cooking areas, ranging
from fast-food restaurants to institutional kitchens, cannot afford an interruption in operation caused by a fire. Insurance
statistics prove that if a restaurant has a fire, it may never reopen; those that do have a lost time and money in the form
of personal injury treatment, equipment replacement and higher insurance rates. Commercial kitchens contain all the elements
necessary for a fire. Grease and cooking oils provide the fuel. Oxygen is always available and heat can come from a variety
of sources, ranging from an open cooking flame to electrical shorts. Fire can occur on cooking surfaces and in hard-to-reach
areas like hoods, plenums, vents and ductwork.
In recent years, the development of high-efficiency cooking appliances and a switch to vegetable cooking oils have
increased the threat and occurrence of fires that are more difficult to extinguish. Since many commercial kitchens operate
long hours and are staffed with people untrained in fire fighting, it is imperative to have a fire protection system that
combines both automatic fire depletion and suppression.
Installation
Shasta Fire
Equipment Inc. installs only the highest quality kitchen hood fire
suppression systems from Ansul and Range Guard. At this time Shasta Fire Equipment
Inc. is not a licensed contractor for Kitchen Hood Installation. Experience is extremely important when choosing someone
to install your fire system.
Inspection
Kitchen hood fire suppression systems are
required to be inspected on a semi-annual basis as a minimum requirement of NFPA 17A. Our highly trained technicians can inspect
and service all types of kitchen hood fire suppression systems. Our software system will keep a record of when inspections
are due so you never have to worry about being delinquent on required inspections. We can also provide training in the proper
use and maintenance of your system so in a fire situation everyone will be prepared to respond appropriately.
Inspections
are performed using Shasta Fire Equipment Inc. technicians,
without sub-contracting; We do not depend on other companies for our expertise, we use our own technicians
to service and repair your kitchen hood fire system; this gives us better control over the quality of service we are able
to provide. When you call Shasta Fire Equipment Inc. we put you in contact with an individual specifically
trained to address your fire protection needs.
Fire Extinguisher Service with Kitchen Hood Service
If
you have a kitchen hood fire suppression system you will have fire extinguishers as well. Fire Systems, Inc. has the ability
to inspect the fire extinguishers while we are inspecting your kitchen hood system. We can save you time and money by eliminating
the coordination problems that arise when dealing with multiple companies to provide service on your fire protection equipment.
Inspection and Testing Requirements for Kitchen Hood Fire Suppression Systems
Wet
Chemical Systems | Monthly | Quarterly | Semi-annual | Annual | Other | | NFPA
17A |
Maintenance | | | 
| | | 5-3.1.1 | At least semiannually, maintenance shall be conducted in accordance with the manufacturer’s listed installation
and maintenance manual. |
Container Test | | | | |
| 5-5a. | The following parts of wet chemical extinguishing
systems shall be subjected to a hydrostatic pressure test at intervals not exceeding 12 years: a. Wet Chemical Containers |
Hose Test | | | | |
| 5-5c. | The following parts of wet chemical extinguishing
systems shall be subjected to a hydrostatic pressure test at intervals not exceeding 12 years: c. Hose Assemblies |
Agent Replacement | | | | |
| 5-5.2 | Wet chemical agent removed from
the containers prior to hydrostatic testing shall be discarded. |
