Most people know how critical it is to have an effective and reliable active fire protection system for businesses. However, not everyone understands that a passive system is just as important. To protect human lives, as well as structures and assets, you need passive fire protection.
What’s the Difference Between Active and Passive Fire Protection Systems?
Although both types of systems are for fire control, they play somewhat different roles.
Active Fire Protection
This requires some type of intervention, whether automatic or manual. As an example, if your business catches on fire, a built-in sprinkler system would douse the flames with water. Using a fire extinguisher is another form of active fire protection. Even the first responders, specifically firefighters, provide active protection.
Passive Fire Protection
In comparison, passive fire protection systems compartmentalize a fire. To prevent the fire from spreading to other parts of your building. These systems can consist of fire-resistant walls, floors, ceilings, or enclosures with unique levels of protection. Your company may be dealing with flammable liquids. In that case, you may need a passive system that provides up to four hours of fire protection.
Considering that passive fire protection systems can created sealed off rooms and areas, workers, contractors, and even visitors have time to escape. If they can’t exit the building, the systems will provide them with a safe place of refuge until the first responders arrive. At the same time, a passive system protects expensive machinery and equipment, critical documents, inventory, and more.
Why Are Passive Fire Protection Systems Vital?
Beyond the benefits mentioned, plenty of additional reasons exist as to why you need both an active and passive system.
Say you have a transformer on-site. If it catches fire, you can anticipate that the oil will burn for a long time. For this situation, you can opt for an enclosure or separation barrier that’s specially designed for transformer fire protection. Along with that, you could install a sprinkler or other type of suppression system to serve as your active system.
Properly Maintaining Passive Fire Protection Systems
You can choose a passive system for protection of the interior of your building as well as for your exterior transformer fire protection. Regardless if your system is installed in an interior or exterior environment, unlike most active protection systems, the best passive fire protection systems require little to no ongoing maintenance and provide many years of reliable fire protection.
The good news is that you don’t need to make a crucial decision about passive fire protection systems alone. When you’re ready, contact us at DuraSystems. We specialize in all kinds of cutting-edge barriers, walls, enclosures, and more. We’ll gladly answer your questions and help you choose the right system for your company.
For 100 percent peace of mind, we’ll ensure that you have the appropriate active and passive fire protection.
