Fire protection is critical to a business, and owners and managers want to know that their fire protection technology will work in an emergency. Regularly-scheduled inspections and maintenance are a cost-effective way to protect your business and employees.
Three Key Areas for Regular Inspection and Maintenance
Sprinkler Inspections
You should have your fire sprinkler system inspected yearly. Inspectors place the fire alarm system in “test” mode. They test water flow and carefully look for corrosion on the pipe and sprinkler heads that could result in leaks. They also look for paint on the sprinkler heads and other obstructions that could affect the spray pattern of the sprinklers.
Alarm Testing
Have your fire alarm panels inspected annually to verify that all devices tied to it are in proper working order and that the panel is communicating with the central monitoring station.
Pump Flow Testing
Run pumps weekly or monthly and have them inspected annually to verify proper flow.
Learn More About Inspection And Maintenance→
What Fire Marshals Check
Inspections by the fire marshal’s office follow standard regulations set out by the National Fire Protection Association and the International Fire Code. The fire marshal will check your main systems, look for proper signage, check hazardous materials, and more.
Main System
A fire marshal verifies that your fire protection systems have current inspection tags or stickers on them. The color of each tag on the system indicates if the system, when tested, was operational as installed or if it has deficiencies.
Have your system inspected and maintained annually so your business will be ready when the fire inspector comes to do the walk-through.
Signage & Lighting
The fire inspector will check the emergency lights to verify that the backup batteries are operational. If the building loses power, the backup batteries will provide adequate lighting so everyone can exit the building safely.
Egresses
You must always have a clear path to and from any standard or emergency exit.
Hazardous Materials
If your facility houses combustible or hazardous materials, you must have the proper datasheet for each on-site. Most companies have hazardous materials storage lockers to house the materials when they are not in use.
Fire Extinguishers & Drills
Businesses should check their fire extinguishers monthly to ensure that they have not lost charge and that they are not damaged. FPS provides fire extinguisher training for you and your employees.
Learn What Fire Marshals Look For When Entering Your Building→
Prepare For Your Next Inspection
How Do You Know When Inspections Are Due?
Oklahoma requires annual fire inspections. If you’re not sure when you had your last one, check your fire panel. There should be a sticker on the front of the panel with the date of your most recent inspection. If it’s been over a year, call a licensed fire alarm company and schedule your inspection as soon as possible.
Fire extinguishers, sprinkler systems, pumps, and kitchen hood suppression systems will typically have a green tag hanging from the equipment with the month and year of the last inspection punched out on the tag.
You should have your fire extinguishers, sprinkler systems, and pumps tested annually. Schedule semi-annual inspections of your kitchen hood suppression systems.
Learn More About Fire Protection Inspections→
Do You Have Questions About Fire Services?
Fire Sprinklers
Research from The National Fire Protection Association suggests that the average loss per fire in buildings with sprinklers was $2,300 compared with an average loss of $10,300 in structures without sprinklers.
The biggest misconception with fire sprinklers is if there is a fire, they all open up at the same time and release hundreds of gallons of water. Actually, the only sprinkler heads that spray water are the ones that have been directly affected by the heat from the fire. 
There are three primary types of fire sprinkler systems:
- Basic wet systems connect sprinkler heads to pipes with pressurized water inside. This system is only suitable for buildings that can maintain a temperature of 40 degrees Fahrenheit or higher.
- Dry systems are suitable for cool buildings because they do not freeze. This system is connected to pipes filled with air or nitrogen rather than water. The pressurized air or nitrogen forces water to remain in a tank where it won’t freeze. When a sprinkler head is activated, the pressure in the pipe drops so that the water can start to flow through it and control the fire.
- Pre-action systems, like dry systems, do not store water inside the connecting pipes. They are controlled electronically by heat or smoke detectors. When the heat or smoke detector identifies a fire, it activates the valve. The pipes then fill with water that flows to the activated sprinkler head(s).
Learn More About Fire Sprinklers→
Fire Pumps
Fire pumps monitor the water pressure in a fire suppression system. If a sprinkler head activates in a fire, the water pressure inside the system drops. Changes in pressure signal the fire pump to pull more water from the city supply. Depending on the availability of city water, you may need to install a storage tank to help supply the pump.
There are two primary types of fire pumps:
- Horizontal split case fire pumps - These are easy to maintain, but they take up quite a bit of space.
- Vertical fire pumps - These are space-savers, but they take more work to maintain.
If you own a business in an area with low water pressure, a fire pump is a smart investment.
Fire Alarms
Fire alarm systems are more than just smoke detectors scattered through your business. They are now high-tech notification systems that activate 24 hours a day when smoke, fire, or carbon monoxide are present.
Choosing the right fire alarm system for your building depends on the type of hazard you are protecting against, the occupant load, and the number of locations that you want to monitor.
A functional and monitored fire alarm system alerts the fire department if there’s a fire on your premises. Investing in a fire alarm system may save you a considerable amount of money in property damage.
Choosing a Fire Protection Company
Regular maintenance and building inspections are critical in ensuring that your systems will work in an emergency. Ask yourself the following questions when evaluating a fire protection company.
Do they offer 24/7 service?
Emergencies and accidents are unpredictable, but your fire protection company shouldn’t be. If your fire service company doesn’t offer 24/7 service, it’s time to look for a better option.
Do they offer easy access to your inspection information?
Does your prospective partner offer conveniences like an online customer portal? Can you see your inspection schedule and reports anytime you want? If having information at your fingertips matters to you, choose a partner who offers unlimited access to your reports and inspection schedule.
What services are you paying for?
Make sure, before you sign a contract, that you fully understand what the company will inspect and maintain. If they aren’t able to care for your entire facility, you may want to search for a different company.
Do employees undergo continuing training?
In addition to staying current on licensing and certifications, companies should provide employees with ongoing training in new technologies. To thoroughly inspect your fire system, the fire services personnel need to be proficient in maintaining new and old systems.
What are other companies saying about them?
Look for reviews signaling professionalism, skill, and flexibility. Does the firm interrupt your workflow during regular business hours, or do they work with your schedule to create a seamless inspection? A great fire services partner cares about your safety AND your business.
Learn More About Choosing A Fire Protection Company→
Not Sure What Fire Protection Systems You Need?
Contact Us For A Free Building Assessment
Why You Should Choose FPS Technologies for Your Building Inspections
Not all fire system companies are alike. FPS has extensive experience that makes our inspection and maintenance process efficient and effective.
24/7 Access
FPS provides emergency service 24/7. We also have an online customer portal so you can access your inspection reports and documentation from your computer or cell phone at any time.
Helping You Stay on Schedule
FPS utilizes the latest inspection and scheduling software to give our customers clear and legible reports. When we identify an issue, we include photos so that repairs will be efficient. We tailor a plan to fit your business’s needs and budget.
Cost
We don't charge for providing an assessment and cost estimate for a plan specific to your business. We work with you to develop a clear scope of work so that you know what services we provide and at what frequency.
Experience & Training
FPS sends technicians to out-of-state fire system training to stay up to date with the latest technologies. We also provide in-house training for our technicians. Dealer representatives train our technicians on their company's technology advances throughout the year.
Adjusting to Your Business Needs
We understand that fire system inspections and maintenance are incredibly important, but that they can be disruptive to your business. We will adapt to your hours of operation when scheduling inspections or service to minimize the impact on your workflow.
Learn Why You Should Choose FPS Technologies→
Call us for your free estimate. We can assess your building’s fire protection needs and set up your inspection and maintenance plan for the year in under 30 minutes.
For more information or a free estimate, please call FPS Technologies at (405) 842-8708 or email us at support@fps-technologies.com.
