If you manage a hotel and are in charge of fire safety maintenance, it’s important to know how to protect the property from different hazards. Reliable equipment such as alarms and extinguishers are required for businesses, but your responsibilities don’t end after installation. Here are a few tips to help the property stay safe and up to code.

Do:

Get regular hood cleanings.

The majority of fires in hotels and motels are caused by cooking equipment. Hood cleaning involves cleaning out the kitchen’s exhaust system to remove grease from the hoods, ducts, vents, and fans. If too much grease builds up, a flame or spark from the cooking equipment could ignite it. This service also keeps your commercial kitchen up to code. If you use solid fuel (a requirement for wood-burning stoves), schedule hood cleaning every 30 days.

Have your wiring inspected.

Larger fires in hotels and motels are often caused by electrical malfunctions, and damaged wiring is a leading cause of electrical fires. A major reason for this is that older wiring can’t cope with the demands of modern devices.

An important part of fire safety maintenance is to regularly get your wiring inspected by a qualified expert. The inspection will look for any fraying that warrants replacement, and will also tell you whether any older wiring in the property is still suitable.

Don’t:

Forget the requirements.

When commercial fires occur, investigations often find that proper safety equipment could have prevented them. This means having smoke detectors, alarms, extinguishers, and sprinkler systems that are up to code.

The Hotel and Motel Fire Safety Act of 1990 requires that properties that offer public lodging have at least one single-station and hard-wired smoke alarm in each guest room, and an automatic fire sprinkler system in each room for buildings that are four or more stories tall.

Neglect your heating systems.

Winter comes with an increased risk of fire due to heating equipment. Fuel-burning equipment, such as furnaces, require proper ventilation.

A qualified professional should check all of your heating appliances for faults or wear and tear annually. They should also change the filters so that the system doesn’t get blocked up.

To ensure that your establishment is protected, you need the expertise of a company that’s experienced in fire safety maintenance. Fire Protection Specialists in La Crosse, WI and Eau Claire, WI, provides safety equipment and hood cleaning services for businesses. The company has operated since 1991, and their technicians follow the standards of NFPA®-96, the International Mechanical Code, and the International Fire Code. Learn more about what they do online or call (800) 658-9463 to schedule an appointment.