Abstract The reliability equivalence factors of a parallel system with n independent and identical components are obtained. The failure rates of the system's components are assumed to be constant. Three different methods are used to improve the given system. The mean times to failures of the original and improved systems are obtained. A comparison between the mean time to failures of the improved systems obtained via different methods used is presented. Numerical studies are presented to compare the different reliability factors obtained. The results obtained here generalize the results given in the literature by setting n=1, 2.