Property Management
Inherited a portfolio with inspection gaps, expired devices, and open deficiencies? Your AHJ and insurance carrier will find them. We start every new portfolio relationship with a gap assessment so you know exactly where you stand — then we keep you there.
How we work with property management
Property managers inherit whatever the previous owner or contractor left behind: inspection logs with gaps, devices past their service life, open deficiencies that never got closed. Your AHJ and your insurance carrier will eventually find all of it. Our first visit to any building in a new portfolio starts with a gap assessment against the currently adopted edition of NFPA 72, NFPA 25, NFPA 10, and NFPA 80 — so you know exactly where you stand before renewal season, not after.
Multi-site scheduling is where most contractors fall apart. We operate a dedicated recurring-service schedule for portfolio clients: fixed annual windows, advance notice for tenant coordination, and a shared inspection calendar you can pull into your own system. Every visit closes with a signed inspection report and a discrepancy list sorted by NFPA priority so your maintenance team knows what to fix first — not a PDF that sits in someone's inbox.
For your Class-A office buildings above 75 feet in Dallas, Houston, or Austin, high-rise provisions under IBC §403 and NFPA 101 Chapter 11 apply — elevator recall, stairwell pressurization, voice-evacuation, and a fire-command station. We know those requirements cold and can walk your facilities director through exactly what the AHJ will check on the next inspection cycle.
Typical systems in your buildings
- Fire alarm (NFPA 72) — addressable system with notification zoning, elevator recall, HVAC shutdown integration, and 24/7 central-station monitoring · Service page →
- Fire sprinkler ITM (NFPA 25) — quarterly main drain, annual full inspection, five-year obstruction investigation on buildings over 25 years · Service page →
- Fire extinguishers (NFPA 10) — annual formal inspection plus monthly visual logs; six-year internal and hydrostatic recharge cycles · Service page →
- Emergency & exit lighting (NFPA 101) — monthly 30-second function test, annual 90-minute discharge, replacement of failed battery units · Service page →
- Fire doors (NFPA 80) — annual inspection of all labeled fire doors — latching, gaps, hardware, and self-closing devices · Service page →
- Backflow prevention (NFPA 25 §13) — annual test of fire-line backflow preventers, required by most Texas water utilities · Service page →
- ERCES / BDA (NFPA 1225) — required in buildings where public-safety radio coverage falls below 95% in occupied areas; increasingly enforced during permit close-out · Service page →
Code touchpoints
- NFPA 72 (2022 ed.) — fire alarm design and ITM, adopted under TAC Title 28 Chapter 34
- NFPA 25 (2023 ed.) — sprinkler, standpipe, and fire-pump ITM
- NFPA 10 (2022 ed.) — portable fire extinguisher inspection and service
- NFPA 80 (2022 ed.) — fire door annual inspection
- NFPA 101 Life Safety Code Chapter 38/39 — new/existing business occupancy
- IBC §403 — high-rise building requirements for buildings over 75 feet
- IFC §901.6 — general ITM requirements for fire protection systems
- Texas Administrative Code Title 28, Chapter 34, 35, 36 — SFMO licensing and enforcement
Inspection cadence we run for this vertical
| Activity | Typical interval |
|---|---|
| Fire alarm — full functional test | Annual |
| Fire alarm — visual inspection, initiating devices | Semiannual |
| Fire alarm — sensitivity test, smoke detectors | Biennial (or per manufacturer) |
| Sprinkler — main drain test | Quarterly |
| Sprinkler — full inspection per NFPA 25 | Annual |
| Sprinkler — five-year obstruction investigation | Every 5 years |
| Fire extinguishers — visual inspection | Monthly (by you) |
| Fire extinguishers — formal inspection | Annual (by us) |
| Fire extinguishers — internal examination | 6-Year |
| Emergency/exit lighting — 30-second function test | Monthly |
| Emergency/exit lighting — 90-minute discharge test | Annual |
| Fire doors — full inspection per NFPA 80 | Annual |
| Backflow preventer — test | Annual |
What a Texas customer in this vertical wrote on Google
I had a great experience with Zion Fire. Our fire extinguishers needed a new inspection and we needed to find a new company. The cost to do all my extinguishers was half the cost of one extinguisher with our old company. Highly recommend. I think it took 10 minutes in and out the door.
Frequently asked questions
Can Zion manage fire protection across multiple buildings in a portfolio?
Yes. Portfolio clients get a dedicated recurring-service calendar, a single point of contact, and consolidated reporting. We coordinate tenant notification, track deficiency remediation across sites, and can provide a master compliance dashboard for your property management system.
What's included in an annual fire alarm inspection?
Per NFPA 72 §14.4.5, the annual inspection covers all initiating devices (smoke detectors, pull stations, heat detectors, duct detectors), notification appliances, control panels, batteries, and supervisory functions. We also test elevator recall, HVAC shutdown relays, and monitoring communication paths. You receive a completed NFPA 72 Inspection, Testing and Maintenance form and a prioritized discrepancy list.
What does the NFPA 25 five-year sprinkler inspection include?
The five-year inspection adds an internal inspection of sprinkler pipe for obstruction material (corrosion, tuberculation, debris), a full trip test on dry-pipe and deluge valves, and a forward-flow test of any backflow preventers. Buildings over 25 years that haven't had a five-year done are among the most common deficiencies we inherit from prior contractors.
How does Texas license fire protection contractors?
The Texas State Fire Marshal's Office (SFMO), within the Texas Department of Insurance, licenses alarm contractors (ACR), sprinkler contractors (SCR), and extinguisher contractors (ECR) under TAC Title 28. Zion holds ACR #2371654, SCR #2571606, and ECR #2370364. Ask any contractor for their numbers before they enter your building.
What happens if an AHJ inspection finds deficiencies?
You'll receive a Notice of Violation or a correction order with a compliance deadline, typically 30–90 days. Zion can respond to those notices directly, pull the required permits, make corrections, and submit the re-inspection paperwork. We coordinate with the AHJ on your behalf — that's part of our service, not a separate billable engagement.
Do you provide reports in a format my insurance carrier will accept?
Yes. Our inspection reports follow the NFPA form format and include the contractor license number, technician name and certification level, date, deficiencies noted, and signature. Most Texas carriers and national REITs accept these without modification. If your carrier has a specific format, send it to us before the inspection and we'll match it.