A fire breakout is a crucial concern for all building owners, residential, commercial, or industrial. So, proper fire protection service is essential to save lives and property.
However, when people think about investing in fire protection systems, most of them restrict it to installing a couple of fire extinguishers and perhaps a water sprinkler system at the most. However, this is just one of the complete fire protection systems. Ideally, to ensure complete protection of lives and assets, you must think much beyond that.
A foolproof and complete fire protection system comprises two parts, namely:
- Active fire protection and
- Passive fire protection.
Now, you may wonder what is the difference between the two categories and which is the most crucial to invest in. Active fire protection involves instant response and fire clampdown, and a well-spread and slow response is called a passive system.
Well, you are at the right place to learn how to compare active vs passive fire protection systems. Additionally, you will learn why you should invest in both types and not in one since both these systems act together in harmony to ensure continual protection of lives and property.
The Importance of Fire Protection Systems
Several survey reports reveal that fire has caused billions of dollars of economic losses over the years. Though fire breakouts are common in business premises and factories, especially chemicals and plastic manufacturing units, they also cause considerable losses in the residential and other sectors as well.
Several businesses lose their fortune and are forced to shut down, unable to bear the cost burden after a fire breakout, which typically happens within a couple of years after their launch. According to a specific report, this number is a staggering 70% worldwide.
As a result, investing in a proper and efficient fire protection system and also tying up with a reliable fire protection service provider is crucial for every business, irrespective of their size. The service provider will ensure that the fire protection system is functional through periodic inspections and suggest replacements or modifications according to their findings.
What is Active Fire Protection?
An active fire protection system involves your actions and equipment that are required immediately to respond after a fire breakout. The primary objective of it is to contain and overpower the fire.
This means that active fire protection refers to your physical actions, like trying to turn it off with a fire extinguisher or buckets of water. However, believing that it is limited to it only will be utterly unwise and untrue.
Typically, in addition to automated or manual actions, active fire protection also includes fire detection and suppression. This needs specific systems.
For example, the fire detection systems comprise:
- Smoke detectors
- Heat detectors
- Flame detectors and
- Fire alarm systems
The fire suppression systems include:
- Fire extinguishers
- Water sprinkler systems
- Fire hydrants and
- Chemical or gas suppressant
You will need both these systems for an effective active fire protection system, though the rate of mix will depend on the area you want to contain as well as the federal and local codes.
Typically, the fire detection systems are triggered automatically when they detect fire or chances of fire as programmed and send immediate alerts. This gives the occupants enough time to abandon the premises and save their lives. The fire suppression systems are then used to put off the fire.
All these systems make the active fire protection system market, which is supposed to grow to USD 38.2 billion by 2030 at a CAGR of 6.5%.
What is Passive Fire Protection?
Passive fire protection systems are actually the silent heroes who work continuously to protect a building from fire. Usually, these systems do not require physical or manual operation.
A few elements of such systems include:
- Fire resistant walls
- Fireproof doors
- Smoke and fire dampers
- Luminous exit signs and
- Fire resistant glass
In addition, specific fireproofing chemicals may be applied on specific surfaces to make them work like a passive fire protection system.
These elements are specially built to resist fire. The primary objective of these walls and doors is to ensure the fire is contained within or not allowed to spread and burns out inside quickly since they do not supply any fuel to the fire. Fire doors, in particular, may also play an important role in detecting the route of the fire in a building. This helps the firefighters put the fire out quickly and allows people to leave the building safely, making it crucial for commercial fire protection as well.
In simple words, the primary job of these passive fire protection systems refers to the structural components of the building that enhance its integrity and fire protection ability to minimizes the potential damage due to a fire breakout.
Typically, these elements comprise the passive fire protection market, which is expected to grow at a steady CAGR of 5.6%.
Active vs Passive Fire Protection: A Comprehensive Comparison
A close comparison of active vs passive fire protection systems will reveal what is actually meant by the terms “active” and “passive” used in the phrase.
Action:
In terms of action or activation, an active fire protection system needs manual action or automated activation depending on the system type and programming, such as a sprinkler system. In comparison, a passive fire protection system does not need any manual action or automated activation for operation. They are actually a structural component of the building.
Pros:
The active fire protection systems can detect fire quickly and are programmed to send immediate alerts so that occupants can evacuate the building immediately. The passive fire protection system, on the other hand, is a safety strategy that prevents the spreading of fire and smoke without human interference or control.
Cons:
Active fire protection systems are usually expensive to install in small buildings. Moreover, though rare, their integration may cause potential damage to the building and equipment. Most importantly, false alarms due to programming errors or nuisance are widespread. As for the passive fire protection systems, which are also costly, they may not be effective in case of a large and intense fire in a building.
The Significance of Two Systems
The significance of both active and passive fire protection systems is immense for saving people’s lives and assets. While the active systems work instantly when a fire breaks out, passive systems promise continual protection.
So, in combination, they are crucial for saving public lives and assets, making both complementary to one another.
Active vs Passive Fire Protection Which is Best?
Comparing active vs passive fire protection systems signifies the importance of both for complete peace of mind. Though each works separately, it is their combined effort of alerting and containing the fire that offers the firefighters a chance to detect and put the fire off quickly.
So, for a higher ROI and complete peace of mind, invest in both if possible and partner with a reliable fire protection service provider for regular inspection and upkeep by trained experts.
FAQs
Q1. Is active fire protection more important than passive fire protection?
Ideally, both active and passive fire protection systems are important for complete protection and minimum damage.
Q2. Which among active and passive fire protection needs higher maintenance?
Though both need regular inspections, the active protection systems need a tad more attention due to proper programming and functionality.
Q3. Is both necessary for a small residential home?
While it is recommended, it is not mandatory to have both active and passive fire protection systems in a small residential house.
Q4. Can active systems save lives?
An efficient active system will be enough to save lives and property damage, provided the emergency services arrive quickly.
Q5. Must I follow building codes to install these systems?
It is better to refer to the local regulations for the inclusion and exclusion restrictions.
Also Read: How Many NFPA Standards Are There? | NFPA Standards Guide