Forensic Engineers and Consultants

Archive: Commercial

New Year, New HVAC Refrigerant

As we ring in the new year 2025, a significant change is coming for several heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVACR) systems that are currently used in both residential and commercial applications.  The 2020 American Innovation & Manufacturing (AIM) Act is bipartisan legislation that was signed into law.  The AIM legislation empowers the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to reduce the production and consumption of hydroflourocarbons HFCs by 85 percent by the year 2035. Read More

Author

The Life of a Smoke Alarm – How A Decade Flies!

Author

A smoke alarm milestone birthday party!

No kidding, I’m passionate about fire protection!  To prove it, I could tell you stories about the damage I have seen from various failures from freezes to fire pump cooling to what happens when a fire hydrant’s weep holes are clogged…. But instead, I will tell you about smoke alarms!

Although it’s still new in my head, my home just turned 10 years old. The decade has seen the replacement of two household appliances and at least one HVAC repair… now what? A paint and décor refresh?  Maybe, but that’s not what the fire protection engineer is thinking! It’s time to replace the smoke alarms! Read More

Materials in HVAC Plenums

Author

What materials are suitable for installation in Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) plenums?  Let’s first define a plenum.  The 2021 edition of the International Mechanical Code (IMC), a subset of the International Building Code (IBC), defines a plenum as “an enclosed portion of a building structure, other than the occupied space being conditioned, that is designed to allow air movement, and thereby serve as a part of an air distribution system.” Read More

Dig into Underground Fire Water Piping and Appurtenances

Author

Many sites that are protected by fire sprinklers will have at least some amount of private underground fire water piping. Its purpose is to make water available for fire protection or suppression at a needed flow and pressure. Its presence is usually quietly evidenced by the connected objects that occasionally surface along its course, like valves, fire department connections and private hydrants, termed appurtenances. Underground water piping commands attention, though, when Read More

FORKLIFT Etiquette: DON’T BE A LOUSY TIPPER!

Author

That is always good advice to follow if you are a forklift driver!  Operating a forklift can be a dangerous occupation.  There are approximately 1 million forklifts (powered industrial trucks) in the US workplace today, and it is estimated that just over 10% of those are involved in some type of accident every year.  Forklift accidents result in dozens of deaths and thousands of non-fatal injuries annually.  About one out of every four of those accidents involves a tipping or overturning forklift, making this the most common type of industrial truck accident.  Read More

Understanding Heat Transfer: A Guide for Fire Investigators

Author

In the realm of fire investigation, understanding heat transfer is crucial. Heat transfer plays a significant role in how fires start, spread, and ultimately, how they can be analyzed and investigated. There are three primary modes of heat transfer: conduction, convection, and radiation. In this article, we’ll delve into each of these modes and explore examples of how fire investigators can apply this knowledge to their work. Read More

Dive Into Suction Tank Issues and Inspections

Author

Privately-owned water tanks supplying fire protection systems have a long history. The NFPA published the Standard on Gravity Tanks in 1909. It is one of the oldest NFPA codes, predating even the Life Safety Code’s precursor, the Building Exits Code, first published in 1927. The Standard on Gravity Tanks evolved over the years to become NFPA 22, Standard for Water Tanks for Private Fire Protection. The inspection, testing, and maintenance requirements for all types of private fire water storage tanks are laid out in NFPA 25, Chapter 9 – Water Storage Tanks. While there are about eight different types of fire water tanks, I’d assert that the most common type today is the steel suction tank. Read More

Hot ’til It’s Not Part II – Heating System Maintenance

Author

As cold weather sets in for those of us that actually get a winter in the Northern Hemisphere, a property owner needs to think about another expensive home system that is often taken for granted, your HVAC system.

Whether you have a heat pump with electric backup, a gas fired furnace, a fuel oil fired furnace, or even  electric strip heat, your heating system requires some routine attention to maximize efficiency and get the most life out of the unit.

As a homeowner, the easiest and cheapest thing you can do to maximize the efficiency of your heating system is Read More

Civil Twilight Pedestrian Collision: A Case Study

Author

Susan, a 45-year-old runner, was jogging in the early morning approximately an hour before sunrise, also known as “civil twilight.” Civil twilight occurs both before sunrise and after sunset when the sun is below the horizon and the sky is partially illuminated. Susan was wearing dark athletic clothing and grey tennis shoes for her morning run. She was running on the sidewalk in a suburban area and began to cross the four-lane road at an unmarked crosswalk. Read More

Wet System Pressure Release Valves

Author

Ah, summertime. Summer’s heat brings some good things: opportunities for outdoor swimming and seasonal produce: blueberries, and peaches, and watermelon…

Summer’s heat doesn’t bring all good things. It can even trigger issues with fire sprinkler systems. Let’s zoom in on a small component on a wet fire sprinkler system that’s there in part because of summer heating: a pressure relief valve.

A pressure relief valve (or an auxiliary air reservoir) is required on wet sprinkler systems; one reason is to Read More

Type ofLoss

Not sure what you're looking for?
Browse All

Select Loss Category
Select Sub-Category (choose category first)
View Now