The evaluation of fire and sprinkler protection systems must co-occur for several significant reasons. Sprinkler and fire safety systems are among the essential components of a building’s life safety apparatus since they protect the building and its occupants precisely when required. However, ensuring that all your system’s components are correctly tested and inspected can be a complicated task. If it isn’t done correctly, the details of your plan might not be up to code.
A full-service company like Brazas Fire, which offers integrated testing and inspections for all fire protection systems, sprinkler systems, and other life safety systems, is a good option for building owners and builders to consider when looking for a company to perform these tasks. We offer comprehensive life safety system testing, maintenance, and inspections that save you time, money, and scheduling hassles. This is like how a phone company provides TV, phone, and internet services in one package to generate savings and convenience for its customers.
However, there is a much more significant advantage to this and a potential drawback. If these components are not tested together, it is possible that they will not function properly, which would put your structure in breach of the applicable codes. And the stakes are much higher with life safety systems than with most other value propositions, mainly if you are the building owner and responsible for protecting people and property from harm.
Integrated testing guarantees that you are following NFPA regulations
It is of the utmost importance to check that your sprinkler and fire safety systems adhere to the relevant codes published by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), notably NFPA 72 and NFPA 25.
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Standard 72 addresses fire safety systems, more specifically, “the application, installation, location, performance, inspection, testing, and maintenance of fire alarm systems, supervising station alarm systems, public emergency alarm reporting systems, fire warning equipment, and emergency communications systems (ECS), and their components.” The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 25 is the standard that “govern[s] the periodic inspection, testing, and maintenance of water-based fire protection systems including land-based and marine applications.” This standard pertains to sprinklers.
One of the essential requirements of these regulations is that a certified fire inspector and a sprinkler inspector must check and test each component simultaneously to guarantee that the systems can cooperate. The usage of a variety of contractors can make this more complex and lead to the following types of problems:
When dealing with individual contractors, a fire safety inspector might not be licensed to inspect sprinkler systems and vice versa.
When multiple contractors are used, none of them can test both systems, and it is common for them to have trouble coordinating their schedules. In this scenario, the inspectors frequently proceed with testing and inspection on their own, even though to achieve full compliance with the code, both systems must be worked on simultaneously.
The integrated testing’s ability to save money and increase productivity
When you use a single organization to perform fire and sprinkler testing, the amount of time needed to arrange and finish the actual evaluations is cut down, which may result in fewer disruptions to your building’s operations. A full-service provider can help you save money in additional ways as well. When working with several different contractors, you risk incurring unexpected costs, such as those caused by hidden or variable fees, other hourly rates, and the expense of unneeded service calls. When you work with a company that provides consolidated services, the line item on your expense sheet will be reduced to a single entry that is constant throughout.
You should avoid playing the blame game when it comes to repairs and service calls
One of the most critical requirements of inspection and testing services is the completion of repairs whenever such work is considered essential. Fortuitously, when a building owner incorporates numerous businesses in a project and something does not work right, there is a tendency for there to be a lot of pointing of fingers.
For instance, a sprinkler contractor would declare, “The electrical component is the one causing the problem.” Yet, a fire system inspector or an HVAC professional might blame any malfunction on another component. When a single company is accountable for all facets of a system, playing the “who’s to blame” game is eliminated, and instead, the problem is singled out, located, and resolved.
Other advantages of utilizing the services of an integrated provider include the following:
- Because there is only one point of contact, fewer service calls are wasted because they are not placed on the incorrect type of contractor.
- All inspection, testing, and maintenance services are billed on a single invoice, resulting in reduced time spent processing invoices and lower costs associated with setting up new vendors.
- A building owner or management will have an easier time creating a budget because the costs are obvious, and the requirement for bids from different contractors will be reduced or eliminated.
- There is a decreased likelihood that a significant problem will be ignored. A full-service provider carefully considers all of the components of a life safety system simultaneously, and it is the sole duty of the provider to all of those components.
- Observing a live demonstration of our work is the best way to comprehensively understand the benefits of working with a company such as Brazas Fire. We will inspect and maintain the fire and sprinkler systems in your building.
We are committed to ensuring that both your commercial building and the people who work there are safeguarded in a comprehensive and unwavering manner. For a no-cost consultation, please get in touch with us as soon as possible at 505-889-8999 or using the contact form on our website.