Guides for Fire Protection Equipment and Fire Safety Systems

Mechanical tees make adding branch lines to fire sprinkler systems easy. Learn how mechanical tees work and how to install them.

Shutgun tools turn off activated fire sprinklers fast—and without impairing the system Whether it’s because of flying objects, coat hangers, careless construction workers, errant forklifts, or vandalism, fire sprinklers sometimes activate when there’s no fire. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), fire departments responded to about 33,600 accidental fire sprinkler activations in 2014. Depending on the type, fire...

Backflow preventers offer the best protection against contamination of city water supplies A check valve provides a basic form of backflow prevention, preventing water from flowing in the wrong direction. National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) model codes and standards require them in various places on fire protection systems, and check valves are essential components of backflow preventers. But they are...

Check Key tools make it easy and safe to service check valves in backflow preventers Maintaining backflow preventers is vital to ensuring that harmful contaminants from building systems don’t pollute city water supplies. But without the proper tools, attempting sprinkler system backflow valve repair or maintenance can make the situation worse—damaging the check valves you’re trying to remove, as well...

UL-listed canned smoke offers the most effective method for testing smoke detectors Working smoke detectors more than double people’s chances of surviving a fire by sounding an early warning, states the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). But while conventional wisdom urges business and property owners to check these life-saving devices once a month by pushing the “test” button, the Boston...

Learn how smoke in a can works—and why it is a convenient, reliable smoke detector tester Smoke detectors are fundamental fire protection equipment, and they’ve saved innumerable lives by providing early warning of fires. National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) research reveals that 40% of home fire deaths happened where no smoke alarms were present, and 17% occurred when the smoke...

Learn the NFPA systems and essential fire safety guidelines for hospitals and other medical facilities A 2013 study published in the Journal of Clinical Anesthesia concluded that “Fire happens with alarming frequency and potentially devastating consequences in hospitals around the world.” NFPA Journal summarized the study and global news reports that show how poor hospital fire safety leads to hundreds...

Escutcheons ensure proper timing and spray patterns for Viking sprinkler heads With 100 years in the fire protection business, Viking manufactures and sells some of the best fire sprinklers on the market. Their pendent, upright, and sidewall fire sprinklers fill a variety of needs, including standard to extended coverage, standard to quick response, and wet, preaction, and dry systems. They...

Protecting nonstructural components from earthquake damage In earthquake-prone areas, proper design and engineering make sure buildings stay structurally sound during a seismic event. But earthquakes damage more than just piers and beams, so it’s important to protect a building’s nonstructural components, including the mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire protection systems (sometimes abbreviated MEP-F). Seismic protection for ductwork, plumbing, and other...

Safety signs are everywhere. In dangerous situations, they tell you what to do, where to go, and where to find vital equipment. In addition to the million or so exit signs you’ve seen in your life, other common life and fire safety signs include: Egress markers showing the way out of complicated or tall buildings Markers for AEDs and fire...