FAQ

The first and foremost importance of Fire protection products and services is they keep your employees and your investment safe. Having a working network of Fire protection services, suppression portables and hood cleaning, is a great way for you to sleep well at night knowing your business and those who work in it are well protected in the event of a fire.  Beyond this, Fire protection services are required per NFPA Fire codes, and full compliance is required in order for you to be square with your insurance company. 

NFPA 17A sets the standard for fixed fire suppression systems to be inspected semi annually.   Portable fire extinguisher inspections are set at annual intervals by NFPA 10, and kitchen exhaust hood cleaning frequency is set by NFPA 96 and depends on your cooking volume and measured grease accumulation in the hood itself. 

It varies depending on the type of business you have, but there is an NFPA Fire code for about every business type.  In addition to this, there are state, county and city codes that must be adhered to in order to keep your business compliant and safe.

The best way is to hire the experts in this field.  Here at Vulnix we are industry leaders with over 50 years combined experience in the fire safety business.  Let us handle your fire safety needs so you can focus your attention on running your business. 

A kitchen fire suppression is a fixed fire safety apparatus that is installed in your kitchen hood and designed to detect and extinguish fires.  The system detects fires with an automatic detection line that’s either electric or mechanical, as well as means of manual activation.  It extinguishes the fire with a liquid low PH extinguishing agent that uses air pressure to discharge the chemical into the hazard area once a fire is detected. 

NFPA 17A states that business owners must conduct a visual inspection of the system monthly, and that a trained and certified fire suppression technician conduct and inspection and maintenance semi annually 

Yes!  If you have an existing type 1 grease exhaust hood it can be retrofitted with a state of the art fire suppression system.

Even with the best fire suppression equipment on earth, a kitchen hood with excessive grease buildup is still in danger of causing a catastrophic fire.  This is where our hood cleaners come in.  The best way to avert a fire, is to simply remove the fuel load.  No grease = no hood fire.  

NFPA 96 sets the standard for hood cleaning frequency based on cooking style and volume.  It ranges from anything with solid fuel cooking being cleaned monthly, high volume restaurants being cleaned quarterly, moderate volume restaurants being cleaned semi annually, and low volume facilities being cleaned annually.  It just depends on the type of business you own. 

The main sign is that the certification sticker on your hood has expired.  This means you have exceeded the timeframe of your cleaning frequency set by NFPA 96 and your cleaning company.   The best way to ensure safety and functionality is regular service and maintenance.  Some signs you may have let this go too far are grease dripping from the hoods, exhaust fans making noise or failing, insufficient airflow from the hood, and occasionally small fires happening inside the hood hazard area. 

The type of extinguishers you need depend on the type of business and the hazard you are protecting.  NFPA 10 provides the following lettered codes that are listen on extinguishers that you can follow to make this determination. 

• Class A– Solid combustibles excl. wood, cloth, paper, plastics, and rubber
• Class B– Flammable liquids incl. oil, gasoline, paint, and grease
• Class C– Energized electrical fire (Remove the electrical source, a Class C fire becomes null and void)
• Class D– Combustible metals (Magnesium)
• Class K– Cooking oil, animal and vegetable fats, and grease

In the end the best way to make a determination of what extinguisher you need is to call the experts.  Let us at Vulnix handle your portable extinguisher needs and out our years of experience to work for you. 

NFPA 10 sets the inspection frequency for portable extinguishers as annually, as well as additional maintenance at various intervals depending on the type of extinguisher.  Replacement happens when an extinguisher is damaged beyond repair, or ages out. 

Yes absolutely!  Our team of experts will be able to consult you on not only the type of extinguishers you need but how to deploy them in case of emergencies. 

NFPA 17 sets the standard for industrial fire suppression systems.  Industrial systems are generally dry chemical based, have means of automatic and manual activation, and discharge chemical that is pressurized when the system activates.

It depends on the hazard and the nature of the work being performed, as well as the type of enclosure the work is being done in.  Our team of experts can design you an industrial suppression system tailored to the exact needs of your facility. 

NFPA 17 sets the standard for inspecting and maintenance of industrial fire suppression systems to semi annually.  There is also additional maintenance needed on your chemical cylinders for these systems at 6 and 12 year intervals.

A vehicle suppression system is an automatically and manually activated fire suppression system that covers the main fuel hazard areas on heavy duty vehicles.  It also has the ability to shut fuel lines down in case of a fire.  

Here at Vulnix fire suppression, we recommend semi annual inspections on your vehicle suppression systems.  

The main benefits are keeping your investment and your workers safe!  In the event of a vehicle fire you’re going to have some maintenance and cleanup to do, but a suppression system can go a long way to ensure that your vehicle you have invested in is not a total loss, not to mention it helps the operator of the vehicle get to safety. 

Yes!  We understand that any time you’re not able to operate you’re not making money.  In the event of an emergency, system discharge or interruption of your business, we will do our best to restore you to operational status as soon as possible. 

Yes!  If you have a new business, or a new kitchen hood, or industrial system…..we can design, permit and install a brand new system for you. 

We guarantee the quality of our work and our product, but like everyone we are not perfect all the time.  If something goes wrong during a service that is on us, we will be accountable to you and to our guarantee.  

The cost ranges depending on the nature and size of the hazard being protected, but the benefits of being in compliance with fire code far outweigh any costs!

We recognize not every business starts off on equal footing.  We will always do our best to try and accommodate the needs of our diverse clientele

While there are upfront costs to installing fire protection equipment, the value and peace of mind that comes from knowing your business is compliant and covered far outweighs it.   While your system may have an up front price tag on it, it is a whole lot cheaper than losing and insurance claim for damages equipment or worse, being liable for loss of property or even life!