A fire suppression system is an essential fire safety item for businesses to have in place. Should a fire occur, the fire suppression system will work to contain the fire and put it out. However, if you have a gaseous fire suppression system, you want to be sure the clean agent will stay in the room long enough to extinguish the fire. This is where room integrity testing is vital.
What is Room Integrity Testing?
Room integrity testing is a special evaluation done to ensure the room can hold the clean agent if released during a fire. If the room integrity is breached, the gas fire suppression system won’t be able to adequately do its job and put the fire out as it
should. The room must be able to hold the clean agent concentration for a specific period of time, usually no less than a minimum of ten minutes. The room integrity test determines if this is possible.
The door fan test is a common room integrity test. This test measures any leakage from an enclosure and then looks at the concentration of the gaseous clean agent in the room to ensure there’s enough that remains to put out the fire. Room integrity testing is required under National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 2001 with all clean agent systems.
Clean Agent Systems
Clean agent systems are useful fire suppression systems in areas where there are items that should not and/or cannot get wet, as would be the result with a fire sprinkler system. The clean agent system uses a gaseous product to put out fires and keep the contents clean and dry. Clean agent systems also require minimal cleanup, which is an added bonus. This type of fire suppression system is ideal for IT firms and other technology storage locations.
How To Increase Room Integrity
If the room integrity test doesn’t yield favorable results, you can increase room integrity by locating the leakage area and sealing it. This job can be performed by fire safety specialists who know exactly what it takes to improve your room integrity and get your business up to fire safety standards.
If you have a clean agent fire suppression system, contact Total Fire Protection today to have a room integrity test performed.
Contact the experts at Total Fire Protection to learn more and schedule your room integrity testing today!
