Fire sprinklers have been used in the protection of many business establishments. But lately these fire protection systems have also gained popularity among home builders and home buyers alike. So what leads people to install fire sprinklers in their residences even if they have already installed smoke alarms? It is because smoke alarms merely alert occupants to a spreading fire in the house, but these devices cannot suppress it. Fire sprinklers on the other hand have proven to be very effective in controlling a fire and protecting people from its associated dangers.
According to the National Fire Protection Association, there were about 396,000 residential fires during 2005 in the United States. These fires had caused 3,055 civilian fire fatalities, 13, 825 civilian fire physical injuries, and .9 billion in property losses.
Studies conducted by the Federal Emergency Management Agency's United States Fire Administration show that thousands of lives could have been saved if residential fire sprinklers had been installed in those burned homes. The installation of a fire sprinkler system could have also prevented most of the fire related injuries and substantially reduced property damage.
Residential fire sprinklers are therefore very beneficial to both people's lives and properties. The advantages of these fire protection systems are further detailed below:
Quick response
The Underwriters Laboratories (UL) lists the latest available residential fire sprinklers. It features fire sprinkler heads with a quick response time that is faster than that of the standard commercial and industrial sprinklers. Due to their enhanced trigger mechanism, early suppression fast response (ESFR) residential fire sprinklers automatically activate quickly to control the fire before it can gain momentum.
Affordable cost
The current average cost for residential fire sprinklers is approximately .00 to .50 per square foot in the construction of new homes. This cost is expected to go down as home fire sprinklers get more popular and demand increases. Existing homes can also install a fire sprinkler system, but the cost is typically higher since the home has already been constructed.
Small size
Residential fire sprinklers are relatively smaller than the conventional commercial and industrial versions of these devices. Home fire sprinkler systems can also be inconspicuously installed and can be aesthetically coordinated with the color scheme of your home interiors.
Nominal installation work
During the construction of a new house or renovation of an existing one, installation of a residential fire sprinkler system will necessitate only a minimal amount of piping and labor since access to the walls, ceilings and attics is easily obtained.
Minimal water requirement
Residential fire sprinklers need less water than fire sprinkler systems designed for commercial and industrial buildings. Typically a residential fire sprinkler system can be linked to your home's main water supply.
Less costly piping requirements
The use of plastic PVC pipes has considerably lowered the piping costs. Plastic pipes are also more advantageous than metal pipes because they do not have rusting or threading problems typically associated with metal.
Individual sprinkler activation
The activation of the fire sprinklers is on an individual basis. This means that if the fire is in the kitchen, the nearest sprinkler will be the only one to activate and contain the fire in that area. Thus, water requirements and water-related property damage are both minimized.
Discounted insurance cost
Depending on the coverage type, underwriters offer discounts of about 5 to 15 % in home insurance premium to homeowners who have fires sprinkler systems installed. These values are even expected to increase in the future.
Residential fire sprinkler systems indeed offer an inexpensive, low maintenance, and inconspicuous option of fire protection. And on top of those advantages is the proven reliability of these devices in protecting your property and family from the hazards of fire. For the minimal cost of having a fire sprinkler system installed in your home, you can potentially increase the value of your property, gain discounts in your insurance premiums, and protect your family and possessions. A fire sprinkler system installed in your home is certainly a valuable investment that will become priceless should you have a fire in your home.
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