Educate Yourself!

Get the right system or you will pay for years to come.

There are many types of systems on the market today, if you let someone else make the decision for you, you could get trapped into costly repair or service charges down the road.

All fire alarm systems are required to be UL listed, and have the same basic functions. Detect fire and evacuate the building.  Just because a fire alarm system costs more does not make it any more effective at these basic principals than another.

Many companies sell what are called proprietary systems. This means that there may only be one company in your area that can repair this system and guess what. They can & will charge you whatever they want and there is not a thing you can do about it. Avoiding these types of systems will give you options down the road. For example if you would like to get more competitive prices for service or repairs, you can contact several different companies and weigh your options.

You can prevent this trap if you do your homework before you hire a fire alarm contractor to install a system in your facility.  Remember, all systems must meet NFPA requirements in order to be sold in the United States. Regardless of what a salesman might tell you about his particular brand or equipment, his primary goal is probably COMMISSION.

Allowing an architect to find an alarm company for you can also lead to the same problem. Some alarm companies give architects incentives to help them sell their particular brand. Its what I like to call the good ole boy system.

Despite offers to become a distributor for particular brands, we have refused to sell proprietary equipment because we want our customers to have options.

There are two basic types of fire control panels.

1. Conventional System.   These systems are used in smaller buildings, and are most commonly used as a cost saving alternative. These can sometimes be a little more difficult to operate. We typically will not use these systems in buildings larger than 15,000 square feet.

2. Addressable System.  These systems are far more versatile than their conventional counterparts.  There are several different types and sizes on the market, and can be effectively incorporated into all facilities from high rise buildings to schools and even small office buildings. The biggest benefit of an addressable system is that the technology is far more sophisticated. These systems also make operation far easier for the end user, as they normally have an LCD display which makes finding alarms and other events much more simple.

For our customers we install and service many different brands and styles of fire alarm systems.  We primarily use two different brands of systems that we have found through many years of experience to be the most rugged, user friendly, and most of all affordable for our clients.

Our first choice of system is manufactured by Silent Knight. All of the products they manufacture are serviceable by any licensed fire alarm company. They manufacture systems for all types of applications. Our own experience has found their equipment to be superior in all aspects provided it has been installed properly.

Our second choice of system is manufactured by Fire Lite.  It too can be used for just about any application.  It is our second choice because we have found it not to be as aesthetically pleasing to the eye. We find Silent Knight has a few features that our installers prefer.  Fire Lite is however a very good system when installed properly.

We offer fire system design, and fire alarm specification design that will help you to get the best price for your fire alarm project. Feel free to call and ask about this service.

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