PROPERTYSPARK ARTICLE

5 Important Fire Safety Measures for New Properties

When buying a home, a residential or commercial property, safety is among the top priority considerations to make. A premise that complies with fire-safety standards not only protects you and your tenants or guests financially and legally, but also physically and mentally.

With this in mind, here are five essential tips for new properties on how to implement safe fire solutions and protocols.

1. Large or Commercial Property? Consider Installing a Fire System

If you own a large or commercial property, installing an appropriate fire system is key for safety. Modern fire systems are designed to automatically detect unusual amounts of smoke, heat, CO gas, and more; sounding an alarm and notifying the appropriate response teams.

This can help alert both the occupants of the property as well as local firefighters in case of emergency. To protect your property with fire systems, consider finding an experienced technician who can give recommendations based on your specific needs, including how your property is used and the level of risk. They can also help ensure compliance with state laws, especially for commercial establishments like hotels with one or several kitchens.

2. Ensure Smoke Detectors Are Installed

After ensuring your property is equipped with the necessary fire systems, it’s important to confirm that other protocols and measures are in place to guarantee maximum safety and security. In line with this, smoke detectors can be very helpful in alerting those inside the house if there’s presence of smoke, which could signal a present or upcoming fire.

Modern designs actually include smart smoke detectors that send a notification to your phone whenever there’s a fire threat.

Smoke alarms might not take away the potential of a fire, but they can buy you precious time to react and ultimately help prevent tragedies. Checking the batteries, make sure all detectors on your property are functioning at an optimal level, and that they’re compliant with standard fire safety regulations.

3. Improve Outdoor Lighting for Safety 

While it might not sound so, improving outdoor lighting at night is an important step to make you and your property safe from fires. Motion sensor lights are especially effective at deterring criminals but can also help emergency responders to quickly identify entrances, exits, and areas of potential danger during nighttime emergencies.

In addition to increasing safety inside the house, better illumination outside could prove useful for warning signs for both you as well as any other passersby if a fire does occur on your grounds.

4. Schedule Regular Property Fire Drills and Inspections

After buying property, creating a testing schedule for your premises will allow you to make sure components of the safety system are regularly checked. It will also help ensure your property is compliant with local fire safety regulations at all times.

Routinely inspect fire alarms and detectors to confirm they are working properly, while also practicing emergency evacuation routes through routine drills with both staff and visitors.

Having these protocols can save lives if an incident occurs, since workers and those on the premises will already have a basic knowledge of what to do in an emergency. Don’t forget to consult with fire professionals at least twice per year and get your property inspected with up-to-date equipment to support you during each test.

5. Maintain Emergency Exit Routes In Case of Fire

When it comes to fire safety, planning ahead is essential in ensuring everyone’s safety in the event of a real emergency. One important way you can do this as an owner of a new property is to maintain escape routes that are easily accessible during such events.

Ensure all doors and windows open freely from the inside without any obstructions, so tenants can evacuate quickly if needed. Additionally, don’t forget to add clear exit signs that point towards the actual direction of escape. These precautions can help save lives in the case of an unexpected fire.

By taking these simple yet crucial steps, you can ensure your property is as fire-proofed as possible. Fire safety is a top priority for property owners and tenants alike, so it’s important to remain vigilant when considering remodels, any new developments or restructuring for an existing building.