The terms residential and commercial refer to types of buildings used for different purposes. Typically, residential buildings are where people live– where they sleep, eat, watch TV, relax, etc. And typically commercial buildings are where people work– home to businesses, organizations, etc. Both types of buildings require good fire detectors, because society has decided it’s better to know there’s a fire than not– that way, if the alarm goes off, people can escape from their homes or offices.
Fire Detection Equipment
Fire detection equipment and fire alarms essentially help keep people safe from dying in a fire. Residential codes are different from commercial ones. Commercial businesses usually have to meet more code requirements because they’re used by many people versus a few, and they’re used in a variety of ways. Furthermore, it’s common for commercial systems to receive regular, professional testing to ensure that everything is in good working order. Most people check their fire alarms and such at their own homes– making sure to replace batteries, right? But commercial systems require professional and extensive testing on a regular basis. Commercial buildings are very diverse, too– so a professional who knows all about restaurant fire safety should inspect restaurants, versus someone who specializes in hotels or entertainment venues.
Commercial buildings usually have a central control panel and are monitored 24/7 by a company that keeps an eye out for any issues. Fire departments can be notified of problems in commercial buildings thanks to monitoring services even if no one is on the premises, such as late at night if and when a fire breaks out.
Commercial buildings will typically have “manual pull call points,” whereas a person could pull the alarm to trigger it if they see/notice fire somewhere.
If you are dealing with a residential or commercial fire alarm system and have some questions or concerns, call Life Safety Consultants at 1-888-557-0558. Keep in mind that Life Safety Consultants specializes in commercial fire alarms and replacement parts and offers replacement parts for myriad manufacturers.
