Why Your Fire Alarm System Needs Regular Inspections

by Kevin Smith Author

Almost every business has at least a basic fire alarm system to warn owners and managers as well as the fire department if there is a fire emergency. In many cases, the business is in a stand-alone office, which means the testing of fire alarm equipment is left to the business owner. If you own your own business, here is why you should contact your fire alarm company in Wilmington, DE today and get on a regular testing schedule if you have not already.

Safety

Regular testing of a fire alarm system means that when it is needed, it will be in peak working condition. That might seem like an obvious point, but a system that is not tested can fail intermittently or even catastrophically and unless diagnostic tests are done on it, there is no way to know until an emergency, which could mean injury or loss of life.

Saving Money

With many property insurance companies, providing proof of inspection of a fire alarm system can mean a discount in pricing. Additionally, if there ever were a fire, not having a system that has been regularly tested can lead to an insurance company contesting any claims. If the system is in failure, it can lead to a denial of all claims as the insurance company can argue that a tested system would not have failed.

Legal Compliance

In many states and local municipalities, regular testing is required by law and failure to adhere to the law can lead to fines and even suspension of a business license. The costs of noncompliance easily outweigh the cost of compliance in the form of regular inspections and testing of the system.

Protection from Lawsuits

If a fire were to occur on your premises, you are culpable for providing sufficient safety precautions so as to allow all present to escape safely. Proving that you were in compliance with those stipulations is next to impossible if you have not had your premises and fire alarm and evacuation system inspected. An inspection provides you with proof that your fire alarm and evacuation system were in legal compliance.

Testing Avoids False Alarms

There is nothing more frustrating for fire department personnel than to have to repeatedly go to a place of business on an emergency call only to find out it is a false alarm because of a faulty alarm system. While the incident is not entirely avoidable, even inspected systems can malfunction, it happens far less than with a system that is not inspected properly.

Regular inspections of a business’ fire alarm system ensure the system works when it is needed. Get your system inspected by a fire alarm company in Wilmington, DE on a regular basis!