It’s not often that someone focuses on having someone install smoke and carbon monoxide alarms in the home, unless it’s a rental property and it needs to be documented properly. But often people care more about what devices they should get than who should professionally install them. However, it’s even more important to get the right person to do the job—more than one might think—because even the best devices on the market are rendered useless through poor installation.
The person who implements the alarms in a rental home, family house, or home that’s in serious need of renovation will dictate how these devices and systems perform over time. Here’s what to consider.
Proper Qualifications and Industry Associations
The first thing that’s worth exploring is whether or not someone has some type of proper qualification in terms of electrical work and fire safety installation. This isn’t just a box checked off to ensure regulation compliance but instead, anyone properly qualified will possess intimate knowledge of how different types of alarms work and where to position them for interconnected designs based on proper guidance currently.
In addition, being a member of an industry-specific body or manufacturer group is also a good sign. For example, the FireAngel Pro Installer Network connects homeowners and landlords with trained installers who know specific product types and standards. This matters because it connects a level of competence beyond general proficiency which puts them in a subcategory assessed based on criteria related to the devices that will be installed.
Experience With Different Types of Properties
Not all properties are created equal and not all installations are equal. A simple two-up, two-down is different than a listed property, a three-story home, or a house of multiple occupation. An installer with experience across the board will understand how floor plans impact where best alarms can/cannot go, where there may be dead air spaces and where coverage may need to be adjusted due to unusual floor plans.
It’s worth asking about this experience beforehand before one’s business is offered to see if they’re just glad to have the business or whether these factors matter. Anyone with competence will be excited to share their findings and rationales. However, should someone be hesitant to let their guard down it’s a red flag.
How an installation occurs also depends upon the layout, how many devices are needed, the type of devices that are most suitable. so someone who has seen many properties will be better equipped to install than someone who has not.
Knowledge of Current Regulations
In recent years, regulations have grown stricter pertaining to fire safety and residential accommodations. Specifically, compliance issues are noted as they pertain to owner-occupied versus rental properties. In addition, an installer who keeps up with current guidance and understands how those requirements apply to different property types is far better placed to deliver an installation that actually meets the required standard.
For landlords, non-compliance carries legal liability. For homeowners, there’s less at stake but an installer who is aware of compliance standards will make better placement, type of alarm and interconnectivity decisions compared to one who isn’t.
Explicit Plan for Placement
Placement is one of those areas where a knowledgeable installer earns their pay. Anyone can clip an alarm to a wall/ceiling and call it a day but a reputable installer will think about where smoke will travel in the event of a fire, where kitchens and bathrooms may cause nuisance alarms, or whether placement will best facilitate exit strategy as an escape option. Therefore, it’s best to ask an installer what their plan is before they come in to do their work.
A worthy installation professional will have logic behind placement locations and will be able to justify what they hope to accomplish should placement be outside of the norm. Should they not have logical answers or it seems as if they’re giving canned responses just to get through the day, it indicates that the installation may not be the most thorough.
Transparency About Products and Pricing
From standalone basic alarms to fully integrated wireless systems, there’s no shortage of alarm products on the market. A reputable installer will be able to explain what options are available—and what’s viable based on this location versus others—not for personal gain but instead for what makes sense for the property.
Beware of anyone who champions a product exclusively or cannot qualify why something won’t work here but will there, with the same layout. Furthermore, installers should also be up front with pricing disparities, where they’re confident in what the quote includes but there’s uncertainty about what costs could be absorbed after the fact.
Aftercare/Ongoing Support
After the installation of a fire safety system it’s important to give it some attention along the way. Every now and again battery replacements, alarms have a suggested lifespan per manufacturer after which it’s best to get them out or at least for interconnected systems. An installer who provides some sort of aftercare or follow up support adds value for clientele—especially landlords with multiple properties—and those who would rather keep communication easy when problems arise.
Even for the simplest domestic installation it’s comforting to know that should an alarm start acting up there’s someone specific to go to. Therefore, it’s best to inquire if this service is already provided before hand so everyone is on the same page.
Making the Right Choice
Ultimately an installation of safety equipment is one of those do-it-right-or-do-it-over situations where going for the cheapest option could hurt someone down the line. The devices are only as effective as the system they’re part of and the system is only as effective as the person who created it in the first place.
Vetting installers based on qualifications, knowledge about products and placement from day one make all the difference for effective protection surrounding the home. Taking extra time upfront will pay off in the long run when it comes to something so crucial.
