Top 4 Signs Your Fire Protection System Requires an Upgrade or Retrofitting

Buildings can only remain safe if they are equipped with a fire protection system.

A fire protection system is comprised of active and passive fire protection components and devices that can contain a fire effectively. They can also deter smoke, flames, and other fire elements from spreading quickly inside the property. With fully functional active and passive fire protection elements, property occupants can easily evacuate once a fire occurs. These things can also provide fire crews with their needed time to enter the property and extinguish the fire safely.

Tons of fire protection components may be maximised by property owners like you. But even if your building is filled with these things, they can only work optimally if they are in great condition. If your fire protection system manifests the following signs, you may have to upgrade or retrofit it immediately.

1. Old Installations

While fire protection components are designed to regulate and even eliminate fire threats, they can still be vulnerable to aging despite inspecting and maintaining them frequently. And just like other things in your building, the service life of your fire protection components will also be limited. Your fire protection components need to be upgraded or retrofitted if they do not work properly anymore. They also require urgent replacement if their parts already show some indications of fault.

The replacement and retrofitting of some fire system components must be done every specific number of years or uses. Your fire control panel and smoke detectors, for instance, must be replaced or upgraded at least once every ten years. Fire extinguishers, alternatively, should be inspected yearly. Their servicing must then be done regularly to ensure that they can work during a fire emergency. As for passive fire protection like fire doors and partitions, they must be inspected and upgraded regularly.

2. Layout Change

Another sign that you need to upgrade or retrofit your fire protection system is if your building has changed its layout. At some point, you may have to alter the placement of your rooms or spaces to make everything more attuned to the needs and purposes of the building. Do not forget, however, to revisit your fire safety plan and migrate or even upgrade your fire protection components once you have implemented key changes to your property.

3. Fire Code Updates

Fire codes do not change that often. But when they do, you must ensure that your building’s fire protection system will be inspected and modified according to the changes. Doing this can ensure that your property will still comply with the fire codes implemented by the state.

4. Compatibility Issues

You may have retrofitted some of your fire protection components before. But if you found out that they do not work with others, you do not have a choice but to have them updated again. Failure to make your components compatible with others will only put your building at risk of getting destroyed by a fire. It can also lead to violations accompanied by hefty fines.

To know more about fire protection systems, you can call us at Key Compliance.