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    This document discusses the benefits of residential fire sprinkler systems, including their ability to contain fires and save lives. It notes that sprinklers have been used effectively in commercial buildings for over a century but are now being designed for homes. Residential sprinkler systems can extinguish a fire before it spreads, preventing death, injury, and property damage. The document provides statistics on residential fires and losses in the U.S. It also outlines the small size, fast response, low water usage and cost of modern home sprinkler systems, as well as insurance discounts and incentives for builders that install them.

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    Fa 43

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    This document discusses the benefits of residential fire sprinkler systems, including their ability to contain fires and save lives. It notes that sprinklers have been used effectively in commercial buildings for over a century but are now being designed for homes. Residential sprinkler systems can extinguish a fire before it spreads, preventing death, injury, and property damage. The document provides statistics on residential fires and losses in the U.S. It also outlines the small size, fast response, low water usage and cost of modern home sprinkler systems, as well as insurance discounts and incentives for builders that install them.

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    This document discusses the benefits of residential fire sprinkler systems, including their ability to contain fires and save lives. It notes that sprinklers have been used effectively in commercial buildings for over a century but are now being designed for homes. Residential sprinkler systems can extinguish a fire before it spreads, preventing death, injury, and property damage. The document provides statistics on residential fires and losses in the U.S. It also outlines the small size, fast response, low water usage and cost of modern home sprinkler systems, as well as insurance discounts and incentives for builders that install them.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    400 views4 pages

    Fa 43

    Uploaded by

    api-309082881
    This document discusses the benefits of residential fire sprinkler systems, including their ability to contain fires and save lives. It notes that sprinklers have been used effectively in commercial buildings for over a century but are now being designed for homes. Residential sprinkler systems can extinguish a fire before it spreads, preventing death, injury, and property damage. The document provides statistics on residential fires and losses in the U.S. It also outlines the small size, fast response, low water usage and cost of modern home sprinkler systems, as well as insurance discounts and incentives for builders that install them.

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    of 4

    U.S.

    Fire Administration

    Home Fire Protection


    Residential Fire Sprinkler Systems Save Lives
    FA-43/February 2008

    Home Fire Protection Residential Fire Sprinkler Systems


    Sprinkler Systems in Industry

    Low Cost

    Schools, office buildings, factories, and other commercial buildings have benefited from fire protection
    sprinkler systems for over a century. To protect 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 that
    claimed many lives and destroyed entire businesses.

    At the present time, cost of a home sprinkler system is


    targeted at approximately $1.00 to $1.50 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.

    Sprinklers in Homes

    For residential systems, the sprinklers will be smaller than


    traditional, commercial, and industrial sprinklers, and
    can be aesthetically coordinated with any room decor.
    Sprinklers can be installed flush with walls and ceilings.

    But what about our homes? Although we protect


    our businesses, what actions do we take to protect
    our families, our homes, and our possessions from
    fire? Millions of Americans have installed smoke
    alarms in their homes in the past few decades, but
    a smoke alarm can only alert the occupants to a fire
    in the houseit cannot contain or extinguish a fire.
    Residential sprinkler systems can!

    SprinklersThe Solution
    Fires in residences have taken a high toll of life and
    property. In 2006 there were
    412,500 residential fires;
    2,620 civilian fire deaths;
    12,925 civilian fire injuries; and
    over $7 billion in property damage.
    Data Source: Fire Loss in the U.S. During 2006, NFPA

    Studies by the Federal Emergency Management


    Agencys (FEMA) U.S. Fire Administration (USFA)
    indicate that the installation of residential fire sprinkler
    systems could have saved thousands of lives, prevented
    a large percentage of those injuries, and eliminated
    hundreds of millions of dollars in property losses.

    Advantages of Newly Designed


    Home Sprinkler Systems

    Small Size

    Minimal Installation Work


    When homes are under construction or being remodeled, a home sprinkler system will require minimal
    extra piping and labor. Typically, systems are concealed above ceilings and in the walls.

    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
    The use of plastic pipe has brought down the cost of
    installation in new construction and the retrofit of
    existing dwellings.

    A Growing Number of Communities


    Promote Home Fire Sprinklers
    The following communities represent a cross-section
    of jurisdictions that have adopted residential sprinkler ordinances. For a more complete list, refer to the
    Residential Fire Safety Institute (RFSI) Web site at
    www.firesafehome.org
    Scottsdale, AZ;

    Fast Response

    Cobb County, GA;

    Residential sprinklers listed by Underwriters


    Laboratories (UL) 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.

    Prince Georges County, MD;


    Livermore, CA;
    Long Grove, IL;
    Chapel Hill, NC;
    Germantown, TN; and
    Altamonte Springs, FL.

    4. Home sprinkler systems are expensive.


    False! Current estimates suggest that when a home
    is under construction, a home sprinkler system
    costs approximately 1 to 1.5 percent of the total
    building price.
    5. Residential sprinklers are ugly.
    False! The traditional, commercial-type sprinklers
    as well as sprinklers for home use now are being
    designed to fit in with most any decor.

    Sprinklers are a Good Investment


    for Homebuilders
    Through the use of construction tradeoffs, homebuilders and developers can achieve reduced construction costs if residential sprinkler systems are installed.
    Home sprinkler systems offer both safety and financial
    advantages to homebuyers, a rare combination.

    Test Your Home Sprinkler System 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. Ninety percent of fires are contained by the operation of one sprinkler.
    2. A sprinkler could accidentally go off, causing
    severe water damage to a home.
    False! Records compiled for well over 50 years
    prove the likelihood of this occurring is very
    remote. Furthermore, home sprinklers are
    designed specifically and tested rigorously to minimize such accidents.

    Incentives: Who Benefits?


    Reduced impact fees
    Increased density
    Reduced fire flow
    Hydrant spacing increased
    Longer access road distance
    Longer distance from fire stations
    Reduced access to building sides
    Narrower streets
    Fewer parking restrictions
    Longer cul-de-sacs
    Reduced turnaround radius
    Reduced permit fees
    Reduced or exempted plan review fees
    Reduced or exempted fees for field inspections
    Reduced fire resistance ratings, no parapet walls
    Increased distance to exits

    3. Water damage from a sprinkler system will be


    more extensive than fire damage.
    False! The sprinkler system will limit a fires
    growth severely. Therefore, damage from a home
    sprinkler system will be much less than the smoke
    and fire damage if the fire had gone on unabated,
    or less than the water damage caused by water
    from firefighting hoselines.

    Concealed sprinkler

    Developer
    X
    X
    X
    X
    X
    X
    X
    X
    X
    X
    X

    Builder
    X

    X
    X
    X
    X
    X

    Sprinklers are a Good Investment


    for the Homebuyer

    technical data from the comprehensive full-scale fire


    tests that were sponsored by the USFA.

    A fire occurs in a residential structure every 79 seconds according to the USFA. To the homebuilder,
    this fact means that a large share of potential
    customers now have knowledge of the terror and
    destruction caused by fire.

    Residential Sprinkler Program

    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 community resources can be
    improved with the adoption of home sprinkler
    technology.
    Communities will be able to make better use 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 and 15 percent, with a projected
    increase in available discounts.

    The Move Toward Home


    Sprinkler Systems
    The USFAs 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 (NFPA) adopted NFPA 13D, Standard for
    the Installation of Sprinkler Systems in One- and Two-Family
    Dwellings and Manufactured Homes. The Standard is based on

    Dedicated to reducing this Nations staggering loss of


    life and property caused by fire, the USFA has joined
    with private industry and the fire service to advance
    the development of residential sprinklers. Since 1976,
    the USFA has promoted research studies, development
    and testing, and demonstrations of residential sprinkler systems.
    Working with the USFA are
    American Fire Sprinkler Association
    Center for Campus Fire Safety
    Consumer Product Safety Commission
    Factory Mutual Research
    Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition
    Home Safety Council
    International Association of Fire Chiefs
    Lubrizol Advanced Materials, Inc.
    NIST/Center for Fire Research
    National Association of State Fire Marshals
    National Electrical Manufacturers Association
    National Fire Protection Association
    National Fire Sprinkler Association
    Operation Life Safety
    Polyurethane Foam Association
    Residential Fire Safety Institute
    Sleep Products Safety Council
    Society of Fire Protection Engineers
    Tyco
    U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
    (HUD)
    Underwriters Laboratories, Inc.
    University of Maryland
    Uponor/Wirsbo
    Worcester Polytechnic Institute, and many others

    For more information or copies


    of this publication, please contact:
    U.S. Fire Administration
    16825 South Seton Avenue
    Emmitsburg, Maryland 21727
    800-561-3356
    www.usfa.dhs.gov
    FA-43/February 2008

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