Fire alarm and fire protection systems are perhaps even more crucial in apartment and condo complexes than they are in typical residential houses. The risks at hand when a fire occurs in an apartment or condo are much higher than those that occur when a fire begins in a home. A house fire can often be fairly easily contained, whereas the layouts of apartment and condo complexes lead to fires spreading quickly. For that matter, fires in condos and apartments can often happen in upper floors, which makes them more difficult for firefighters to reach. When it comes to apartments and condos — which are often rented — fire alarm services are usually not handled by tenants. Rather, they are the responsibilities of property managers. Of course, fire protection services and fire alarm services extend is beyond the typical alarms we’re all familiar with. Therefore, things like fire sprinklers need to not only be installed, but maintained — and this is best done not by amateurs, but a professional fire protection company. Below, we’ll look into why property managers need to take choosing a fire protection company seriously, and the different types of fire protection services available.

1. Installation

Fire alarms may seem easy enough to install, especially if they’re the typical fire alarms that most of us have encountered at some point or another in our lives. However, a fire alarm on its own needs to be installed by a professional fire protection company — and fire sprinkler services need to be taken even more seriously. If a property manager tries to install fire alarms or fire protection systems themselves, they can be easily held liable should the systems malfunction. Tenants could possibly sue if their fire alarm or protection systems aren’t properly in place. Another issue that comes up with amateur installation is the possibility of the systems malfunctioning and “going off” when they shouldn’t. While this is more annoying than serious — like a complete system failure would be — it should still be taken seriously. This is especially true when it comes to sprinkler systems; a malfunctioning fire sprinkler could lead to water damage in apartments or condos.

2. Inspections

Regular inspections need to take place when it comes to any fire alarm or protection system. Ideally, it should be done not simply by a property manager, but the proper experts. A fire protection company is often available to inspect fire alarm services. This should be done on a regular basis, depending on the type of building involved and the region in which it is located. Sometimes, inspections need to be done as frequently as every six months. The tenant does not necessarily need to be present when these inspections take place, but they should never be skipped.

3. Maintenance

One of the major responsibilities of any property manager is that of maintenance and repairs. This is particularly important when it comes to fire alarm and protection systems. Should a tenant alert a property manager to any issues with their fire protection systems, the property manager needs to take the proper steps towards maintenance immediately. Inspections are a part of regular maintenance as well, and if any issues comes up during inspections they need to be handled quickly. Remember — fire alarm systems aren’t just a typical part of apartments and condos, like air conditioning. They can save lives.