Protection Can Be a Selling Point

Some builders are impressed by the safety factor as well, Cressman said. One of Home-Safe’s earliest customers was a builder who decided on his own to install sprinkler systems in 168 homes "because he wanted to protect his customers."

Protection can be a selling point, according to Brian Drake of Victaulic, a Canadian manufacturer. "It protects what they build," he said. "It’s a unique life-safety feature not unlike upgrading with a security system." Trade-ups increase fire safety, control municipal operating expenses and lower construction costs.

According to Gary Keith, HFSC Chair, the idea of fire sprinkler trade-ups is simple. "Each fire sprinkler is activated by heat. In fact 90% of all home fires are contained by one sprinkler. Often, fire sprinklers extinguish the fire before the fire department arrives on the scene. As a result, there is less likelihood of a major fire requiring heavy firefighting equipment, which can affect the rules for street design," he said.

"When homes in a residential development are sprinklered, street width can be reduced, dead-end streets may be increased, tee turnarounds can be permitted and steeper street grades and building locations further from paved fire vehicles access may be permitted," Keith said.

"Fire sprinkler protection in all new construction is a win-win decision," Keith said. "The community has additional fire protection without higher taxes or increased insurance rates. The developer can reduce land development costs. The builder can reduce construction costs. Most important, communities with fully sprinklered developments should see a decrease in fire death rates and property loss."

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