UL Listed vs FM Approved: What’s the Difference for Fire Protection?
Understand UL Listed vs FM Approved fire protection equipment, how to verify product certification and what consultants should check before approval.
5 min read
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Fire safety insights
Practical guides on fire protection systems, testing and maintenance, written by the engineers who install them.
Diesel vs Electric Fire Pumps: How to Choose Under NFPA 20
Compare diesel and electric fire pumps under NFPA 20, including power reliability, maintenance, pump-room requirements and practical selection criteria.
3 min read
Fire Pump Flow & Pressure: Rated, Churn and 150% Flow Explained
Understand fire pump rated flow, churn pressure and 150% flow, and what these points mean for pump selection and testing.
3 min read
How to Calculate Fire Water Tank Capacity
Learn how to calculate fire water tank capacity from hydraulic demand, required duration and usable volume using NFPA 22, NFPA 13 and NFPA 14 principles.
5 min read
Fire Pump Sizing According to NFPA 20: Practical Engineering Guide
A practical guide to sizing a fire pump from hydraulic demand, required pressure and the certified pump curve, with a worked example and common mistakes.
6 min read
What is a tamper switch, and why does every sprinkler valve need one?
A sprinkler system only works if its valves are open. A tamper switch watches each valve and tells the fire alarm panel the moment one starts to close.
2 min read
Addressable or conventional fire alarm: which one does your building need?
Both systems find a fire and sound the alarm. The difference is how precisely they tell you where it is, and that decides which one suits your building.
3 min read
How often should a fire pump be tested?
A fire pump can sit idle for years and still has to start the first time. This is the testing routine NFPA 25 sets out, weekly, monthly and yearly, and what to record each time.
3 min read
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