Builders Experience

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.

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