Alt Title: Can a Fire Suppression System Pay for Itself?
When you start shopping around for fire suppression systems, you'll hear some claims that suppression systems functionally pay for themselves. But is this truly the case? And if so, are you guaranteed to see that financial benefit?
The Literal Interpretation: Do Fire Suppression Systems Pay for Themselves?
Let's start by addressing an important semantic distinction. If you interpret the phrase literally, fire suppression systems don't pay for themselves because they don't generate income and few of their benefits are directly measurable.
But as we will see, fire suppression systems come with several different benefits and the relatively inexpensive, ultimately making the cost justifiable.
Costs Associated With a Fire
The purpose of a fire suppression system is to eliminate a fire as quickly and efficiently as possible. Usually operating automatically, based on a temperature threshold, fire suppression systems activate whenever they detect a fire and deploy a suppression agent to mitigate the spread. Hopefully, this will eliminate the fire entirely. Even if it doesn't, it will prevent the fire from spreading and minimize damage associated with that fire.
Assuming your fire suppression system works as intended, this means you can greatly reduce your fire risk at a given property. This can save you money in several ways:
· Property damage. For starters, you need to think about property damage and restoration. If the fire spreads throughout your warehouse, it could destroy your inventory. If the fire reaches your servers, you could lose significant hardware and damage. If the fire is allowed to escalate, it could even consume your entire property. You might have an insurance policy in place to prevent you from major losses in the event of a fire, but you're still going to be responsible for paying at least some costs, and your insurance rates may go up as well. Because of this, a fire suppression system can easily save you thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars in property damage costs alone.
· Injuries and loss of life. You also need to think about potential injuries and loss of life that occur as a result of a fire. If the fire is allowed to spread, and you don't have proper evacuation procedures in place, it could cause real personal harm. Obviously, human life is priceless, and we want to do our best to avoid losing human life unnecessarily. If your fire suppression system has even a chance of saving someone's life, were greatly reducing the potential for serious injury, it's probably worth installing.
· Legal ramifications. Let's also consider potential legal ramifications. If you're running a business and you're responsible for the health and safety of your employees and customers, a fire suppression system can minimize your chances of being held liable for someone else’s injury or death on the premises. These claims can range into the millions of dollars, so it's in your best interest to avoid this type of outcome.
· Business reputational damage. If you don't have a virus suppression system in place and your business experiences a fire, the major damage could be a signal to other people that your business is irresponsible. It's hard to calculate this potential reputational damage, but it's worth considering.
Other Benefits of a Fire Suppression System
The most important benefit of a fire suppression system is preventing a fire and preventing the costs associated with a fire. But there are some other benefits to keep in mind as well.
· Insurance benefits. Some insurance companies may reduce your rates if they know you have a fire suppression system in place. If you can save several hundred dollars or more on an insurance policy over the years, the fire suppression system may eventually pay for itself in this category alone.
· Peace of mind. How much would you pay to feel comfortable and confident about the safety of your home or business? This is another variable that’s almost impossible to accurately calculate, but it's worth considering.
· Reputation benefits. Having a robust fire suppression system in place can make your business more attractive to employees and customers alike.
Risks and Costs Associated With Fire Suppression Systems
Now let's take a look at some of the risks and costs associated with fire suppression systems.
· The cost. Fire suppression systems aren't free. You're going to have to pay for the initial equipment and installation. The good news is, fire suppression systems have gotten more affordable over the years, and thanks to modular and portable systems, you don't need to completely overhaul your property to put them in place.
· Types of fire suppression systems. Keep in mind that there are different types of fire suppression systems. Traditional sprinkler systems may be adequate at extinguishing flames, but they also can cause property damage via the water they disperse. It's in your best interest to purchase a fire suppression system that uses a clean agent.
· Proper installation and function. Fire suppression systems are only valuable if they are installed correctly, in a way that allows them to work when they need to. If you're installing these yourself, make sure you follow the instructions carefully.
· Other best practices for fire prevention. Having a fire suppression system increases your chances of proactively extinguishing a fire and preventing fires from spreading. But it's not going to protect you from every fire-related risk. Therefore, it's also important to have other best practices for fire prevention in place, such as better safety habits and an evacuation plan for the building.
The Bottom Line: Do Fire Suppression Systems Pay for Themselves?
So the fire suppression systems pay for themselves? The short answer is yes. The benefits of having a fire suppression system installed are enormous, the costs and risks are minimal, and even if you never experienced a fire, you'll still see some value from this installation.
Are you interested in installing a fire suppression system? Check out our selection of fire suppression products! And if you need more information before making a final decision, don’t hesitate to contact us today!