If you own a property or a business, it’s only natural to want to make it live long and prosper. As such, you do everything you can to ensure that nothing bad happens to the establishment and that it will stay upright for as long as possible. One of the best things you can do to protect your property is to have a professional install a fire sprinkler system.

Of course, there’s a lot of preparation involved; you can’t just give this major responsibility to any company. After all, how well the fire suppression system works and how it can help you and your property for many years to come largely depends on whether the fire protection company you’ve chosen is of high quality.

It’s incredibly important to find a reputable company or contractor for your fire protection needs. There are several factors you need to keep in mind when choosing a contractor—they need to be law-abiding, have certifications and references to show you, and it’s also a plus if they’ve invested in fire sprinkler liability insurance because it shows that they mean serious business.

If you’re confused or having doubts about which fire sprinkler contractor or company to choose, we’ve listed a couple of tips below to help you out.

Do Your Research

These days, most people have access to the internet and thus, access to information. Make use of this privilege by searching for different companies’ public records. This helps you narrow down your search significantly. Here are a couple of guidelines to help you during your search:

  • It’s very important that you check whether the company is licensed with local authorities for the kind of work they do. Most of the time, licenses such as this are given by a contractor licensing authority or a fire marshal.
  • Check if the company is an officially registered one and if so, for how long. You can typically find this information from your Secretary of State’s website.
  • Last but not least, check for any possible complaints against the company. It’s highly possible that your state and local governments will have this information, as they usually have a list of contractors who have been reported for unethical or criminal behavior. You can also check the Better Business Bureau (BBB) for negative reviews.

It’s important to do a background check because a company’s history can tell you a lot about their values and how they operate.

Check References

While it’s good to check the internet for any possible red flags, you shouldn’t stop there. Another thing you should do to ensure that you’re employing the services of a reputable fire protection company is by requesting references. This may be a request that many people have stopped practicing, but it’s better to be safe than sorry in these cases, especially if you’re planning a major or expensive project.

It’s also highly recommended that you ask the potential contractor about:

  • Timeliness
  • The kind of work they’ve done before
  • What kind of rating they’d give their own work
  • Their experiences working alongside their crew
  • If they were able to finish the job within or below budget
  • Their credentials
  • How qualified the employees are to do the job

These are only some of the questions you need to ask, but they’re very important so don’t forget.

Make Sure Local Laws Are Being Abided

Each state and city have their own set of rules and regulations regarding fire protection and licensing. As such, you need to choose a company that strictly abides by state and local laws. That being said, here are a few examples of what we’re talking about. For instance, here are the fire protection rules for contractors in Ohio as of September 2019:

  • Every company and person involved in maintaining or installing fire protection systems or equipment are required to have a fire protection certification.
  • Every company needs to have proof of liability or completion insurance worth at least $50,000. Certifications and the like must be renewed yearly.
  • It’s not required by the State Fire Marshall for fire sprinkler contractors working with standpipe systems and automatic sprinklers to have work experience or undergone training. However, this is required when working with non-water extinguishing systems.

On the other hand, California’s rules and regulations require contractors have extensive work experience beforehand even when only working with sprinklers.

Check for Any Certifications

Choosing a fire sprinkler contractor with NICET certifications is a major plus. If you’re not familiar with it, the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies or NICET is a non-profit organization that offers fire protection contractors their much-needed certifications.

These certifications assure potential clients that the contractor has ample experience when it comes to designing, repairing, modifying, as well as maintaining a fire suppression system. And you know this certification is no joke because its requirements are rigorous to say the least. For instance, the highest possible level of certification requires contractors a minimum of ten years of work experience, among other requirements.

Always Ask Questions

Without a doubt, employing the services of a fire sprinkler contractor isn’t easy—it’s a tedious process that requires a lot of effort and research. Fortunately, you can make this process much easier for you by preparing a list of possible questions you can ask the potential contractor or company.

  • Will a project manager be assigned to oversee the installation of my fire protection system?
  • Do your employees have any CPR, OSHA, and first aid certifications? If so, how many of them are certified?
  • How many years have you been in business?
  • Do your new employees go through a training period?
  • Do you have insurance?

Conclusion

The process of looking for a fire sprinkler contractor can be daunting, but there are some things you can do beforehand to make sure that the whole process is quick and seamless. The next time you’re in need of a fire protection company, refer to our tips above to ensure that you choose the right one for your establishment or property.