Sprinkler systems can limit damage in case of fire

Since the 19th century, sprinkler systems have been used to protect our factories, office buildings, schools and other commercial structures from the devastating effects of fire. The New England states are the origin of the systems, when in 1852 textile mills adopted their protection. Fire extinguishers, on the other hand, weren’t invented until 1863. But which one is in your home?

Homes are where most fires originate and devastate. Until recently, fire sprinklers in homes were relatively rare and limited primarily to high rise and high-density residences. Home fire sprinklers can contain or extinguish fires in less time than it would take the fire department to arrive at the scene. Combined with the use of smoke alarms, fire sprinklers also reduce the risk of dying in a home fire by up to 82 percent.

Recently, a change in the International Building Code mandates that new construction residential homes have installed residential sprinkler systems when building new homes. Don’t let that stop you from protecting your current home, though; you can add them to existing houses.

Some misconceptions about fire sprinklers

• When one sprinkler goes off they all go off.

Disregard what most movies and television shows suggest; sprinkler heads react independently to temperatures in each room. Only the sprinkler head closest to the fire will activate. This sprays the water directly on the fire and not waste water in areas not involved. No other sprinkler in the house will activate unless there is also a fire in that location.

• If I burn something on the stove, the sprinklers could go off.

Smoke can not trigger sprinkler operation. Each sprinkler is individually activated by heat and will only go off in the event there is an actual fire.

• A sprinkler could accidentally go off causing sever water damage to my home.

The likelihood that a sprinkler could discharge accidentally due to a manufacturing defect is extremely remote. Your home is much more likely to be damaged by leaks from ordinary household plumbing than from a residential sprinkler system.

• Water damage from a sprinkler system would be more extensive than the damage from the fire itself.

Sprinklers severely limit a fire’s growth and use only a fraction of the water use by fire department hoses. Therefore, damage from a home fire sprinkler system will typically be much less severe than if a fire were extinguished using conventional firefighting techniques.

• Home fire sprinklers are too expensive.

Nationally, on average, home fire sprinklers add only 1 percent to 1.5 percent to the total cost of new construction (about what you would pay for an upgrade in carpeting).

• Sprinklers are ugly.

Modern residential sprinklers are inconspicuous, come in designer colors and can be mounted flush with walls or ceilings.

• Installing a residential sprinkler system will not significantly affect my insurance premiums.

Installing a residential sprinkler system will generally reduce costs for homeowner’s insurance because fire sprinklers will keep damage low. While it is up to individual insurance agencies to discount based on this fact, I recommend you contact your insurance agent and ask.

• I can’t install a residential fire sprinkler system because my home is not connected to a domestic water supply.

Homes can be protected by fire sprinklers even in the most remote areas. Several manufacturers offer water tanks to supply residential fire sprinkler systems. The tanks are designed to fit in a garage or other storage area and can hold enough water to comply with national standards for home fire sprinkler systems.

A low-cost, reliable safety option, fire sprinklers can increase the value of your home, protect your family and possessions against loss from fire, and even decrease your insurance premiums. For more information about residential fire sprinkler systems, please visit the U.S. Fire Administration at (www.usfa.fema.gov/safety/sprinklers.) or visit a local pipefitter.

Christian M. Hartley is a lieutenant and responder with the Houston Fire Department, as well as the public information officer and training officer. Questions are welcome at hartley@myopinionmatters.org.