In its
September meeting, the
International Code Council will be considering a change to the International Residential Code which would
mandate the installation of sprinklers in all new single family homes and townhouses.
At first you might think "
why not mandate sprinklers, if they'd make our families and our homes safer!?"
But before we encourage our local building inspectors to vote for this change to the IRC, let's take a look at some of the technical and cost issues involved:
- Water Supply
The typical domestic water supply does not provide adequate water flow rate for a residential fire sprinkler system. A larger incoming water line will have to be installed, and the water meter and pressure regulator will likely need to be modified as well.
- Water Softeners
Typical residential water softeners are designed for low flow rates, and the drop in water pressure as it passes through the water softener would cause most fire sprinkler systems not to function.
- Malfunctioning Systems
The fire sprinkler piping is always full of water in a "wet" system, which if the pipes freeze can cause significant damage. The alternatives to wet systems (multi-function, dry) have limitations relative to cost, approval by the IRC, and dependency on electricity.
- Increased Cost To Home Buyers
In 2007, a survey was conducted of residential builders to gauge the cost of adding a residential sprinkler system. The media cost of a fire sprinkler system with a public water source was between $3500 and $5000. On a private water source, the media cost was between $8000 and $9000.
With all of these issues, could homeowners really want sprinklers in their home? - According to a national poll conducted by sprinkler advocates, 63 percent of those surveyed indicated that they were aware that residential sprinkler systems are available, but the number of homes built annually that are equipped with sprinklers continue to be less than 2 percent, many of which are required by local ordinance and not as an option elected by the home buyer.
- When asked in a 2007 survey of 800 likely voters by Public Opinion Strategies if fire sprinklers should be required in new homes, an overwhelming 89 percent of consumers said that smoke detectors already do an adequate job of protecting them in their homes and 28 percent would not want sprinklers at all, even if they were provided free of charge. Survey results show that only 15 percent of consumers in the sample were willing to pay $4,800 or more for a residential fire sprinkler system.
Mandating sprinkler systems in single family homes / townhomes seems like a bad idea to me.
What do you think?
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