Buying a farm can be a major investment, but it can also provide you with a rewarding way to earn a living. Unfortunately, farms can be particularly vulnerable to fire damage, and as a result, it is critical for farm owners to take proactive steps to protect their investment from this type of damage. If you have recently purchased your first farm, you may want to keep the following few tips in mind to help you better manage this threat.
Install Fire Suppression Systems In All The Buildings On The Farm
While you may understand the importance of having fire suppression systems in your home, you may overlook the need to have these systems in any barns or animal houses on your property. These areas can have volatile chemicals and machinery that may pose a fire risk. By installing fire suppression systems, you can help to minimize any damages that may occur if a fire were to get started, which can make them far more than worth the cost to install and maintain them.
Provide An Escape Path For Livestock
When installing fire suppression systems in barns, you should also make an effort to ensure that there is a clear path for your livestock to escape the burning barn during a fire. This can often be done by installing emergency gated paths to lead the livestock to the pasture. To help you avoid the need to enter the burning barn to open this path, it may be possible to install a smart fire detection and suppression system. These systems can be highly customizable, which can allow you to configure them to open the emergency path for the livestock when a fire is detected. This might be more expensive than installing a basic fire suppression system, but saving the investment you made in your livestock can more than offset this cost difference.
Always Use A Spark Arrestor When Burning Materials
It may eventually be necessary for you to burn some of the debris that generated by your farm. Whether this from clearing pastures or modifying buildings, it is important for you to follow a couple of precautions when doing this task. Ideally, any burning should be done in a container that is rated for small fires. This will help to prevent the fire from accidentally spreading out of control.
In addition to using a container, you should also ensure that there is a spark arrestor at the top of the container. This device will capture any sparks that may drift off of the fire. Without these devices, it would be possible for burning embers to cause fires throughout your property. Contact a company like Echo Fire Protection for more information.
