As a property owner, you’ve got a lot on your plate.
You must keep your tenants happy, handle constant maintenance calls, and ensure your real estate portfolio is profitable.
You also need to keep an eye on changing laws and regulations.
Arizona is not a state that adopts statewide building codes.
However, unless you have properties in Greenlee County, you must remain compliant with local fire and building codes.
If you know you were compliant a few years ago, can you rest assured that you’re compliant today?
The reality is that fire and building codes are subject to change.
How often does this occur?
Where Do Fire and Building Codes Come From?
If fire and building codes don’t come from state law, where do they come from?
The answer isn’t as simple as you might think.
Let’s take a look at some of the many resources used to update fire and building codes in Arizona and elsewhere.
The International Code Council
Perhaps the International Code Council is the biggest source of fire and building codes.
The ICC is a nonprofit with participating members from relevant fields, including:
- Architecture
- Engineering
- Manufacturing
- Building design
- Labor and contract work
There are also government officials that participate in ICC discussions and code development.
For example, earlier this year, the federal government passed the NIST Plumbing and Research Act.
This will allow the NIST to partner with groups like the ICC to research plumbing systems to find ways to increase safety, durability, and efficiency, which will likely inform updated building codes in the future.
Model Codes
When the ICC and other organizations come up with updated code, what happens next?
As mentioned, these codes don’t automatically become widespread laws that each state or county adopts.
Instead, this code is called “model code.”
Simply speaking, model code functions as a well-researched suggestion.
It takes a lot of time, money, and resources to develop new initiatives that improve building safety, and individual counties cannot keep up with this process independently.
Instead, they can use model codes to determine what regulations to pass to keep their citizens safe.
Local Adoption
Because the Arizona state government does not impose any fire or building codes, it’s up to each local government to decide which model codes to adopt.
Some counties may adopt the latest edition of the International Building Code developed by the ICC.
Others may amend the latest International Building Code, as county officials have done in Peoria.
Because building owners can’t make changes overnight, there is typically a grace period between code adoption and the final deadline to make amendments.
The final deadline is when the new code goes into effect.
Often, this grace period is at least one year from when the new codes are adopted in your county.
How Often Do Fire and Building Codes Change?
Now the question is, how often fire and building codes are updated?
There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question because many factors are at play.
It’s useful to look at the timeline of developing new model codes.
The NIST breaks this down into three steps:
- The ICC and other relevant organizations update building and fire safety standards
- The ICC and other relevant organizations update model codes based on these updated standards
- State and local governments adopt model codes into law
The first two steps tend to take between three and five years.
However, there tends to be a delay in the release and adoption of new model codes.
For example, the latest version of the International Building Code dates back to 2018, and the upcoming version was developed in 2021.
How Can You Stay Compliant?
It isn’t always easy to stay compliant with fire and building codes in Arizona because they are not statewide.
If you have properties in multiple counties, you’ll have to track the latest fire and building codes in all of those counties, as they may vary.
What can you do to ensure that you don’t fall behind?
Get Regular Inspections
The first step is to get regular compliance inspections from certified service providers.
Our fire safety specialists make it their business to know the different codes in each Arizona county.
They can inform you of any outdated equipment or fire safety systems you use in your properties.
During these inspections, we also test your fire safety equipment.
This is crucial because having the latest fire safety system will only keep your building compliant if that system works as intended.
Update Fire Safety Equipment
What happens if you aren’t compliant or some of your fire safety equipment has stopped working?
It’s time for an update.
Once again, you will want to work with professionals to purchase and install fire safety equipment.
Proper installation is key, from fire alarms to fire sprinklers to backflow preventers.
Partner with Certizona Fire & Safety
Because Arizona does not adopt statewide fire and building codes, staying compliant across Arizona counties isn’t always easy.
Certizona Fire & Safety ensures that your buildings meet the latest fire safety codes outlined in the International Building Code and elsewhere.
With our help, you’ll never fall behind on the most recent updates.
Ready to schedule your first inspection? Request a quote today.
Are you looking for a reliable fire system inspection service to ensure your buildings in Arizona are fire code compliant? Certizona Fire & Safety is here to keep you up-to-date with the latest fire safety codes. Customer satisfaction is our top priority. Call (623) 227-2092 or request an online quote today!