Residential Fire Sprinklers: The Logical Choice for Saving Lives and Property
(ARA) - Every 90 seconds a home fire is reported in the United States. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), eight out of 10 fire fatalities occur where Americans feel safest -- in their own homes.
Fire-escape plans, fire drills and working smoke alarms are vital safety precautions to help ensure families escape from a burning home before they are injured or even killed. In fact, a smoke alarm can decrease the chance of dying in a home fire by nearly 50 percent.
And when used together with a residential fire sprinkler system, the risk of dying in a home fire is reduced by 82 percent. Not only do they save more lives, fire sprinkler systems -- unlike smoke alarms -- can actually control a fire and reduce the average property loss by as much as two-thirds.
Obvious Safety Precaution
Although residential fire sprinkler systems were introduced in the 1980s, only about 2 percent of U.S. homes are currently equipped with the life-saving devices. So why aren’t more people adopting this obvious safety precaution? Low consumer and homebuilder awareness, a lack of qualified installers, and installation costs are the three primary reasons why more homes do not feature fire sprinkler systems, according to a leading manufacturer of residential fire sprinkler systems.
“However, there is hope for renewed interest and continued growth,” says Alan Larson, brand manager for Wirsbo Aquasafe, a multi-purpose plumbing and fire sprinkler system.
“In areas where installing fire sprinklers in homes are mandatory,” continues Larson, “multi-purpose systems are resolving the installer and cost issues.” Multi-purpose systems combine the fire sprinkler system with the cold-water plumbing and cost 15 percent less than stand-alone systems. That means one less set of pipes and faster installations.
Common Misconceptions
Larson says the most common misconception is that fire sprinkler systems will malfunction and cause damage. He says that industry statistics indicate that the chance of a sprinkler malfunctioning is one in 16 million.
The second most common misconception is that all the sprinklers in the home go off at the same time -- causing extensive water damage.
“You only see that in sitcoms," Larson says. "Sprinkler heads are individually heat-sensitive and go off independently after they reach a specific temperature, typically around 155 degrees."
He adds that a residential fire sprinkler head uses only 10 to 15 gallons of water per minute, whereas a single fire department hose uses up to 250 gallons of water per minute. Typically, more than one hose is used to extinguish the fire. In homes, 90 percent of the time, only one sprinkler head activates and controls the fire.
The Aquasafe system is unique because it’s the only non-stagnant system on the market, says Larson. “This means that fresh water continuously circulates throughout the tubing that feeds to the sprinkler heads and other plumbing fixtures,” he says. “Think of the sprinkler head as just another plumbing fixture, similar to a shower head or kitchen sink faucet. The faucet, when turned on manually, only supplies fresh water. Similarly, the sprinkler head, when turned on by fire, also supplies fresh water.”
Hunter Botto, owner of Botto Brothers Plumbing and Heating in Long Island, N.Y., is surprised that residential fire sprinkler systems aren’t more popular with consumers. “As a contractor, I’m in and out of a lot of homes. People spend extra money on quality upgrades like flooring and cabinetry -- costs that are comparable to a sprinkler system. However, if there’s a fire, all those quality upgrades become worthless.”
Whether mandated or not in communities, fire sprinkler systems are wise investments for all families, especially those with small children and seniors who would need assistance in escaping a home fire.
To learn more about how you can protect your family and home with a residential fire sprinkler system, contact Uponor Wirsbo at (800) 321-4739, or visit www.wirsbo.com.
Courtesy of ARA Content
###
Related Stories
-
Wardrobing Your Home
-
Giving the Gifts that People Love
-
Bring the Islands to You This Summer
-
Spring is a Great Time to Spruce Up Your Home for the Season
-
Gift Ideas for Dads with Diabetes
|
|