After investing a lot of time and resources in your business, it makes sense that you would want to protect your investment and employees. One of the best ways of doing this is to use the right fire alarm system. As one of the most important safety precautions for your business, fire alarms not only saves lives but is also a legal requirement.
However, with a wide range of alarm systems in the market, choosing the best one can be quite challenging. When looking for the best fire alarm system, you cannot afford to settle for anything less than an effective system that alerts occupants of significant danger. Below are some factors to consider when choosing a fire alarm for your business.
1. Threats
The first step in selecting a fire alarm system is to look at the kind of risks that your business has. By knowing how, where, and what type of fires can break out, you can come up with some of the best strategies for combating any threat to your business.
For instance, if the materials and products present could potentially produce a lot of smoke, using smoke detectors would be the best. On the other hand, if anything produces a lot of heat, then heat detectors would be most appropriate. By doing this, you will have a better understanding and insight into what fire alarm will be most effective and able to meet your needs.
2. Consider business layout & size
For you to provide complete fire protection and coverage, you need to consider the layout and size of your business. While conventional fire alarms are suited for small businesses, larger premises require much more sophisticated alarm systems. For instance, buildings may have more than one floor thereby requiring more than one fire detector.
If your business occupies several buildings which are in close proximity, you may need alarms that can communicate with one another. For bigger businesses, wireless alarms should be considered as they allow different alarms to be managed through a central control system.
3. Pricing
While it is important to choose an alarm that best suits your requirements, it is obviously very important to get the best price possible as well. When it comes to the cost, you may need to spend a little extra but the pricier systems ensure that the equipment that you have is effective and can last decades with little maintenance. This is a smart investment since you will not have to spend any additional money replacing everything that you’ve bought after a couple of years.
Although you should shop around for a price that works for you, this should not get in the way of quality and the system’s ability to alert occupants to potential dangers. This could mean the difference between a quick and efficient alarm that saves a majority of the building and occupants or serious damage and injury or death.
4. Types of fire alarms that you need
Depending on the risk and the building you may need more than one type of fire alarm system. For instance, simple smoke detectors, ionization alarms, and dual sensor alarms can all be effective depending on the space and the likelihood of fire or smoke. Providers of fire safety equipment and fire alarms are experienced in assessing and equipping businesses with safety measures based on assessments completed before installation.
Before making any decisions regarding the purchase of a fire alarm, request a workplace inspection be completed by a fire alarm provider or fire department. These parties can identify potential threats at your company and recommend and install fire alarms accordingly based on this information.