Summer is nearly here which means warm weather, sunshine, and fires.
That last one isn’t a typo. Summertime accounts for 5,000 fires, and commercial buildings are no exception. Company cookouts, overheated machinery, and lack of maintenance are all factors that could potentially cause a fire. If you’re looking to keep your employees, tenants, and building safe from harm this summer, make sure you follow these summer fire safety tips.
Service Your HVAC System
Spring is a great time to service your building’s heating and cooling system. Dust, pollen, and other particulates can coat electrical components such as capacitors, which can ultimately create fires. Also, if you’re running more than one cooling system at the same time and for prolonged periods, they can overload. An overloaded system can turn into an overheating system, which in the summer is twice as dangerous. Be sure to service and clean your HVAC system and monitor system usage to reduce fire hazards.
Exhaust Fans
Exhaust fans can also get covered in particulates which can block air flow, and vents can become blocked with debris. Cleaning these systems and clearing all blockages will ensure continuous airflow, which can be a preventative means of fire protection.
Lawn Equipment Care
Whether you own a lawn care company or provide lawn care services to your buildings, you should be wary of potential fire hazards. Similar to HVAC units, you should have your lawn care equipment, particularly mowers, serviced at the start of spring. Grass clippings, debris, and other items should be removed from around the engine, muffler, and surface of the equipment. Servicing your mowers also means the blades are sharpened, which means less work for the engine and therefore less of a chance that it’ll overheat. Also, remember to wait until a lawn mower is cooled before refilling it with fuel.
Sytem Audits
You should have your fire protection systems regularly checked and serviced throughout the year, especially during the warmer months when the risk of fire is high. Without properly working systems in place, your business can be subject to significant property damage. Hotel and motel fires alone result in $76 million in property loss each year, so it’s important to follow the recommended service schedule set by your fire protection company. That includes fire alarm repairs, sprinkler system repair, and any other preventative or warning systems in place.
It can be hard to think of fire safety when the weather is nice and the world seems to get lighter. However, it’s essential for you and your business that proper fire safety protocols are followed. You can be safe and enjoy the weather simultaneously.
If your systems are in need of service, give us a call today.
