SPRINKLER SYSTEMS IN INDUSTRY
Schools, office buildings, factories, and other commercial buildings have
benefited from fire protection sprinkler Systems for over a century. To
prevent investments in buildings and machinery, the textile mills in New
England began using sprinkler systems over 100 years ago following a series of
devastating fires which claimed many lives and destroyed entire businesses.
SPRINKLERS IN HOMES
But what about our homes? Although we protect our business from fire, what
actions do we take to protect our families, our homes, and our possessions
from fire? Millions of Americans have installed smoke detectors in their homes
in the past few years, but a detector can only alert the occupants to a fire
in the house - it cannot contain or extinguish a fire Residential sprinkler
systems can!
SPRINKLERS - THE SOLUTION
Fires in American homes have taken a high toll of life and property.
Preliminary 1996 findings:
Studies by the
Federal Emergency Management Agency's United States Fire Administration
indicate that the installation of residential fire sprinkler systems could
have saved thousands of lives; prevented a large portion of those injuries;
and eliminated hundreds of millions of dollars in property losses.
WHAT ARE HOME FIRE SPRINKLER SYSTEMS?
Using quick response sprinklers and approved piping, homes can be built or
even remodeled to include low-cost automatic sprinkler systems connected to
the domestic water supply.
Sprinkler systems offer advantages to the homebuilder:
- A low-cost reliable safety option that would attract many buyers.
- Trade-offs between sprinklers and code requirements that can result in
lower construction costs more units per area of land, etc.
For homeowners, the advantages include assurance of a safer environment for
their families, protection of their investment and irreplaceable family
possessions, and lower insurance rates.
ADVANTAGES OF NEWLY DESIGNED HOME SPRINKLER
SYSTEMS
Fast Response
Residential sprinklers, listed by Underwriters Labs, are now available.
They are designed to respond to a fire much faster than currently available
standard commercial and industrial sprinkler systems. The new home sprinklers
react automatically to fires more quickly because of their improved
sensitivity.
Low Cost
At the present time, cost of a home sprinkler system is targeted at
approximately $1.00 per square foot in new construction. It is hoped that the
cost will decrease as the use of home fire protection grows. It is also
possible to retrofit existing homes with sprinkler systems.
Small Size
For home systems, the sprinklers will be smaller than traditional,
commercial, and industrial sprinklers, and can be aesthetically coordinated
with any room decor.
Minimal Installation Work
When homes are under construction or being remodeled, a home sprinkler
system will require minimal extra piping and labor.
Low Water Requirement
These systems will require less water than the systems installed in
industrial or commercial establishments and can be connected to the domestic
water supply.
Piping Requirements
In addition to metallic pipe, the use of plastic pipe has brought down the
cost of installation in new construction and the retrofit of existing
structures.
Some notable successful applications of residential sprinklers and approved
piping include:
- Marriott Hotels
- Bachelor Officers Quarters Ft. Meyers, VA
- Cobb County, GA
A GROWING NUMBER OF COMMUNITIES PROMOTE HOME FIRE
SPRINKLERS
The fire loss in this country in residential occupancies is catastrophic.
Manual fire fighting methods are not the answer. The way to attack the
problem is to limit the fire growth where it occurs in dwellings. We have
the technology to do that.
Residential Automatic Sprinkler Systems. Ordinance No. 745; Adopted May
28, 1969; by the San Clemente, California City Council
Proposition 13 was a major factor in promoting the ordinance. There is also
a shift within the fire service toward more fire prevention and less
suppression emphasis. San Clemente and Corte Madera, California were some of
the first communities in the United States to enact a home sprinkler
ordinance. Other communities that have initiated or plan to initiate
residential sprinkler ordinances include:
- Livermore, California
- Sarasota, Florida
- Long Grove, Illinois
- Chapel Hill, North Carolina
- Germantown, Tennessee
- Cobb County, Georgia
- Scottsdale, Arizona
- Altamonte Springs, Florida
TEST YOUR HOME SPRINKLER SYSTEM'S I.Q.
Here are five statements about home sprinkler systems. Are they true or
false?
1. When one sprinkler goes off, all the sprinklers activate.
False! Only the sprinkler over the fire will activate. The sprinkler
heads react to temperatures in each room individually. Thus, fire in a
bedroom will activate only the sprinkler in that room.
2. A sprinkler could accidentally go off, causing severe water damage to
a home.
False! Records, which have been complied for well over 50 years, prove
the likelihood of this occurring is very remote. Furthermore, home
sprinklers will be specifically designed and will be rigorously tested to
minimize such accidents.
3. Water damage from a sprinkler system will be more extensive than fire
damage.
False! The sprinkler system will severely limit a fire's growth.
Therefore, damage from a home sprinkler system will be much less severe than
the smoke and fire damage if the fire had gone on unabated or even the water
damage caused by water from firefighting hose lines.
4. Home sprinkler systems are expensive.
False! Current estimates suggest that when a home is under construction,
a home sprinkler system could cost less than 1% of the total building price.
5. Residential sprinkles are ugly.
False! The traditional, commercial-type sprinklers as well as sprinklers
for home use are now being designed to fit in with most any decor.
SPRINKLERS ARE A GOOD INVESTMENT FOR HOMEBUILDER'S
New homes may be built further away from a fire station if they have
approved sprinkler systems.
Home sprinkler systems offer both safety and financial advantages to
homebuyers, a rare combination.
SPRINKLERS ARE A GOOD INVESTMENT FOR THE HOMEBUYER
- Fire breaks out in one of every 10 American homes each year, according
to the U.S. Fire Administration. To the homebuilder; this fact means that a
large share of potential customers now have knowledge of the terror and
destruction caused by fire.
- Families with children, senior citizens, and handicapped members have
special fire protection needs. Home sprinkler systems provide added
protection for these people.
- In case of a home fire, firefighters will have less risk of injury or
life loss since they will be fighting a fire of less intensity.
- Allocation of scarce community resources may be improved with the
adoption of home sprinkler technology.
- Communities will be able to make better utilization of available land
and thereby increase their tax base.
INSURANCE DISCOUNT
Insurance from homeowner underwriters will vary depending on type of
coverage. The discounts now range between 5-15%, with a projected
increase in available discounts.
THE MOVE TOWARD HOME SPRINKLER SYSTEMS
The U.S. Fire Administration's research in home fire sprinkler systems
successfully focused on systems that would be low cost, fast acting and
reliable. As a result, residential fire sprinklers have gained increased
acceptance.
In November 1980, the National Fire Protection Association adopted the NFPA
13D Residential Sprinkler installation standard. The standard is based on
technical data from the comprehensive full-scale fire tests, which were
sponsored by the U.S. Fire Administration.
In 1994, the National Fire Protection Association added Chapter 5 (Limited
Area Dwellings) to NFPA 13D. This chapter applies to one-and two-family
dwellings including manufactured homes.
RESIDENTIAL SPRINKLER PROGRAM
Dedicated to reducing this Nation's staggering loss of life and property
caused by fire, the Federal Emergency Management Agency's U.S. Fire
Administration has joined with private industry and the fire service to
advance the development of residential sprinklers. Since 1976, the Fire
Administration has promoted research studies, development and testing, and
demonstrations of residential sprinkler systems.
Working with the U.S. Fire Administration are:
American Fire Sprinkler Association
Allstate Insurance Company
B.E Goodrich
Central Sprinkler Corporation
Copper Development Industry
Factory Mutual Research Corporation
Grinnell Fire Protection Systems Company, Inc.
International Association of Fire Chiefs
Man Made Fiber Producers Association, Inc.
Marriott Corporation
National Association of Home Builders
NIST/Center for Fire Research
National Electrical Manufactures Association
National Fire Protection Association
Operation Life Safety
Pennsylvania Lumbermans Mutual Insurance Company
Sentry Insurance
Underwriters Laboratories
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
And many others
For additional information write to:
U.S. Fire Administration
NETC
Emmitsburg, MD 21727
Your
Government
