Installing Halon Fire Supression System at Home?

swmagazine asks: "The house my family is building just burn down 2 weeks before competition. Now that the insurance is paying out some money, I am seriously considering installing Halon system at home because the house comes with a server room and I will be having at least 10 computers running in the house. I would like to know if anyone has experience with Halon system as well as the feasibility of installing such system at home." The possibility that your computer could conceivably be a fire hazard is extremely low on newer machines. Older machines, without the proper protection, may overheat, and that might cause problems. Might such a system minimize the damage posed by a house-fire, or are they too expensive (or too ineffective) for the average home owner?

Comments

Re:not halon

[anticypher]

halon is un-breathable.

Depends on what you mean by "un-breathable."

I've walked around in a couple of rooms immediately after Halon tests, with no ill side effects. The first time was specifically monitored by pulmonary/blood specialists to detect harmful chemicals entering the body. From what I could determine from reading their raw reports, nothing did. That was a standard 7% Halon discharge.

The second time was at a company with a really stupid manager who just had to test every part of his new DR plan. In that one the local fire department got involved, so all their firemen could stand around inside and see what occured during a discharge. Walked inside about 20 seconds after the discharge to a room full of white mist, it was a full 10% flood fill test. No side effects from that, except for a pesky hole in the ozone layer which is still following me around today.

The firemen and doctors both pointed out the nasty effects of HF and HBr on the body, and how long and painful the treatment is. Damage to bone structure is permanent, lungs tend to stay scarred, etc. Which is why if you have a Halon discharge into a room with a big, hot fire, its very wise to hold your breath and do everything you can to get to fresh air. Cleanup crews for several days afterwards will have to wear full protective gear until they can neutralise all the HF.

However, there is usually enough oxygen in computer room installations, even with a fire, to breathe long enough to get outside. Inside of U.S. military tanks, the Halon concentration is typically 50%-70%, complete overkill but maybe necessary under battle conditions where turning off aircon, power, and engines would lead to a very dead crew very quickly.

There are quite a few replacements for Halon, none as ruthlessly efficient, but mostly cheaper and all better for the environment.

the AC