Hot and Cold – Ongoing Phase-Out of HFCs May Lead to the Use of Flammable Refrigerants
It’s been nearly a year since the U.S. and more than 100 other nations around the world pledged to phase out the use of chemical compounds called hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) in refrigerators and air conditioners. This amendment…
Introducing our Newest Fire Protection Consultant – Jonathan Samuel
The path to fire protection engineering is so rarely predetermined, and here at Harrington Group, we’re lucky that our team members have come to us from such an array of background – academic and otherwise. On August 7th we…
Fire Prevention Through Infrared Scan of Electrical Equipment
Electrical Fires According to the latest statistics from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)’s report on “Fires in Industrial or Manufacturing Properties”, electrical distribution and lighting equipment caused 11%…
Which Fire Sprinkler System is Right for Your Facility?
The general concept of a fire sprinkler system has been around since the early 1800s and consisted of a manually-operated system using perforated pipes to deliver water to an area. By the late 1800s, the first automated…
Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance of Fire Sprinklers
Once the correct fire sprinkler is chosen and installed, it must be inspected, tested, and maintained. Before we get into that, don’t forget to check out our posts “Choosing the Right Fire Sprinkler – Part 1” and “Choosing the…
Apartment Fires and Construction
This year alone, we've seen mid-construction fires at wood-framed apartment complexes in four cities: Maplewood, New Jersey; Raleigh, North Carolina; Overland Park, Kansas; and most recently College Park, Maryland. All four…
Choosing the Right Fire Sprinkler – Part 2
In the Part 1 of Choosing the Right Fire Sprinkler, we reviewed sprinkler basics, temperature ratings, and K-factor. In Part 2, we’ll look at installation orientation, response type, design and performance characteristics, and…
Choosing the Right Fire Sprinkler – Part 1
Choosing the right fire sprinkler is critical to the success of a sprinkler system in controlling or extinguishing a fire. Sprinklers should be chosen by evaluating the occupancy, hazards, and conditions (ceiling height, type…
Construction Fires and Building Codes
It’s not hard to understand why builders and developers may prefer wood as a primary construction material—lumber is comparatively inexpensive and lightweight, plus it’s an easily accessible and renewable resource. But, it’s…
Annual Fire Pump Testing: A Few Important Tips
Fire pumps and associated equipment are required to be periodically inspected, tested, and maintained by NFPA 25: Standard for the Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance of Water-Based Fire Protection Systems. Since the 2002…
Maintaining Fire Extinguishers in Reliable Working Order
By Mark Conroy From time to time, we like to share perspectives from members in our connected communities. We’d like to thank Mark Conroy for his tips on keeping portable fire extinguishers in reliable working order: Portable…
The Importance of Proper Waterflow Switch Testing
If you are reading this blog, then you are likely more aware than most of the importance of sprinkler system inspection, testing, and maintenance (ITM). One of our recent projects involved our client, a tenant, moving into a…
Spring Has Sprung – Fire Safety Tips for the Warmer Months
It’s easy to associate at-home fire protection with the colder months with the use of space heaters, fireplaces, decorative candles, and tangled strings of holiday lights. But, just because we’re less inclined to turn the heat…
What do you Need to Know about Portable Fire Extinguishers?
We've discussed different types of fire in a previous blog (classes A, B, C, D and K), each of which a unique fuel type and hazard characteristics, plus an ignition source, oxygen, and an uninhibited chemical chain reaction. So…
Back to the Basics: What is Fire?
As fire protection engineers we spend a lot of time talking about how to prevent fires and mitigate their damage. Technology has come a long way over the years and the profession is constantly evolving, but let’s take a moment…