It’s essential to check up on your fire protection system from time to time.
Implementing a fire protection system in your building is one of the best security measures you could take as a property owner. It shows your family, friends, coworkers, or employees that you are doing everything you can to ensure their safety in case of a fire emergency. However, it’s essential to check up on your fire protection system from time to time to make sure it’s up to code. There are plenty of common pitfalls for your system, but they can interfere with your fire protection system’s ability to protect your building correctly. Here are four ways your fire protection system could violate code.
Duct Smoke Detectors In Your Air Handlers
This can become an issue if you don’t have these inspected or maintained correctly. Many buildings have large air handling units that require smoke detectors in the dust system to detect smoke from the fans, motors, and filters. Because there’s a lot of air moving if filters aren’t appropriately changed, dust and dirt can contaminate these devices very quickly. You need these devices to be functioning for your fire protection system, so be sure to check and clean up in your ducts.
Blocked Off Fire Exits
Keeping your building’s exits open and clear is crucial. Make sure there’s no clutter by your doors, especially the emergency exits. If you’re a restaurant owner, make sure there are no tables or chairs in front of the secondary exit door. Keeping the space around your fire exits is one simple yet effective way to ensure your fire protection system is up to code.
Blocked Pull Stations
Manual fire alarm pull stations are prevalent in many buildings and can sometimes be blocked by plants, racks, or pieces of furniture. Sometimes people will block them off without even realizing it. Make sure that the area around any fire alarm pull stations are clear and they’re clearly labeled on the wall, so everyone knows where they are in case of a fire emergency. This could potentially be the difference between life and death.
Air Diffusers That Are a Bit Too Close To Smoke Detectors
This is a common problem that occurs after an HVAC renovation changes up the diffuser’s original location. If they’re too close to your building’s smoke detectors, they will blow dust and dirt right onto the sensor and contaminate it, which then results in false alarms.
Fire Protection Services from Fireline
Whether you need smoke detectors, fire extinguishers, or an automatic sprinkler system installed at your commercial property, Fireline has you covered. We have been protecting people and property from fire damage since 1947—and our experience shows in our excellent work! We are known for our superb customer service, our expertise, and our reliability. For more information on how we can help your residential or commercial property, visit us online or give us a call at (800) 553-3405. We are located in Baltimore, MD, with a second office in Leesburg, VA. For more fire safety tips, be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.