Residential Fire Sprinklers .com

Protecting Your Home & Family

Part four of a five part series focusing on the rapidly growing residential fire sprinkler market and why plumbing contractors are best positioned to capture this opportunity.

To view part three of the series visit “Residential Fire Sprinklers: Plumbing Contractor Competitive Advantage #1“

When the 2009 International Residential Code (IRC) arrives, with it will be the highly publicized requirement for all single family homes to have fire sprinkler systems installed in them. Previously we discussed the market and individual growth potential for residential plumbing contractors this new code will create. If we have convinced you, a residential plumbing contractor, that in fact, this opportunity is viable; the question now is, what next? Certainly questions of capital, resources, training and tools all fill the list. But, if you are like me, you are asking, “How do I sell this?” How do I convince my existing homebuilding client that, not only am I capable of providing both services, but it will be less expensive than two separate contractors doing the work?

To start with, let’s admit that most everyone would agree that it should cost less to get everything you need from one source, rather than to get only one thing you need from one source at a time. A quick glance at the popularity and success of big retail such as Wal-Mart or Best Buy will validate that. And while it may seem obvious that bundling services is cheaper than buying them separately, it is harder to distinguish this when the amounts that are being compared are relatively low. For instance, you normally don’t drive to a specialty battery store to buy AA batteries that cost $6.50 when you can get the same brand at the grocery store for approximately the same price or usually within a $1 while you are buying your groceries. The batteries at the battery store may even be less expensive (not likely, but possible) however, when the retail price of batteries is not that much to begin with, who is going to drive all over town to save a dollar. And while costs are always a strong part of decision making, the residual savings that you get by not spending the time to make the extra trip to the battery store will most likely outweigh the cost difference between the two stores supplying the batteries. Not to mention the convenience and stress reduction of having one more item off your “to do” list.

Now equate this example with those contractors vying for the installation of a residential fire sprinkler system. You have the fire protection contractor acting as the specialty store and the plumbing contractor acting as the “all in one” store. If an average tract home is 2500 square feet and the higher end of installed costs for a fire sprinkler system are $1.50 square foot, the installed cost would be $3,750. If the average sales price for this size tract house falls into the mid $200 thousands the fire sprinkler system would represent approximately 2% of the cost. The question is “can a plumbing contractor provide this system for less than a fire protection contractor?” While geographic factors such as unions will skew the numbers somewhat, it would be safe to answer this question with a resounding “yes”. The first and most obvious reason is the combination or overlapping of insurance, tools and resources. It would be very difficult to compete with a workforce that is trained to install toilets and sinks as well as risers and fire sprinklers, especially when many of the tools and materials used are the same. A second factor that would make this option even more definite would be if the fire sprinkler system is a multipurpose or combined type system. Meaning a system of valves and piping that feeds both domestic and fire sprinkler demand all together. The reduction in coordination issues alone would make this a very attractive choice for any home builder.

The third and not so obvious reason would reflect the nature of tract housing itself. Tract housing is all about volume and typical construction. I have termed it RPTV which stands for “Residual Profit on Typical Volume”. This represents profit that is not readily measurable, but is made as the result of “production line” thinking. It could be characterized as savings made from repetitive activities that require very little effort on your part or that of your clients. It can apply to the services you currently provide for your tract home builder, but can also apply to his services as well. The typical nature of this type of construction produces less and less supervision with each home built. I can attest to this first hand. While growing up in the homebuilding industry I experienced the transformation of our family business from tract housing to full custom homes. Without diverting into a dissertation on the differences, suffice it to say, it can be summed up in one word… Volume.

Let’s say the average cost of the plumbing contract for our 2,500 square foot tract home is $15,000 and the fire sprinkler system is $3,750. The total cost for each service without profit is $18,750. If both the plumbing contractor and the fire sprinkler contractor apply a 10% markup, the total price to the client is $20,625. Now, if you are a plumbing contractor providing both services it would be reasonable to expect your price to be at least 2% lower than this as your fixed expenses are now spread over a larger amount of revenue. This would put your sell price at approximately $20,210 which is a savings of roughly $415 to the client per house. Now, consider that your 10% profit per house should actually increase as your crews become more and more proficient with the installation of both systems, along with savings on bulk materials. When you multiply that profit over a couple of hundred homes a year the decision to expand your services to include fire sprinkler systems becomes much easier.

Do not forget, just like everyone else in the construction industry, home builders are looking for ways to do more or get more with the same amount. And if they do agree to pay more money it has to be towards something that they know will help them stand out from their competition. Tract home pricing is very competitive with margins averaging 8% to 10% at best. So other marketing tools are used. Usually these types of things come in the form of “buyer options”. This is where the buyer of the home may want to add certain options to the basic home he is buying such as a refrigerator, washer/dryer or upgraded carpet. The big difference is that these options are not “required” by codes or standards. The fire sprinkler system, on the other hand, is required by code and therefore is a hard cost that the home builder must account for. While he is looking for “bang for the buck” he is equally looking for companies that are going to make his life easier. Meaning, fewer coordination issues, no more sub-contractors than what he is already working with and someone who is managing their work without his supervision. By using an “all in one” plumbing contractor for both services he eliminates one more company he has to go into contract with, he needs only one phone number to deal with issues for either system, and there are fewer invoices to process, which keeps his overhead from increasing.

Trust me when I tell you, home builders put a high price on their time and how it is spent. They don’t want to deal with coordination problems or issues regarding permits or scheduling conflicts. They just want it done, on time, on budget and with attention to the same quality expected in custom home building. Home builders today are looking for every advantage they can find to either lower costs or provide more value for the same price. If domestic plumbing and fire sprinkler services are packaged up by a single source contractor, they will take a long hard look at the single source price. With a competitive price and the reduction of administrative expenses, there is real value to the home builder in getting there plumbing and fire sprinkler systems from the same “store”. Show the home builder how this works for them with the pricing in your own neighborhood and I am confident you will be successful as a single source provider.

In Part 5 of this series, “Residential Fire Sprinklers: Plumbing Contractor Competitive Advantage #3”, Jayson Drake, will discuss why multipurpose systems are the future of residential fire sprinklers, why plumbing contractors are uniquely qualified to install these systems and how this creates a clear competitive advantage.

Steven Scandaliato is a Fire Smarts Faculty member and Principal at SDG, LLC, a fire protection design and consulting company. With over 23 years of fire protection engineering, design and project management experience he holds a Level IV certification from NICET in Fire Sprinkler Layout and serves as a member of the NFPA 13, 101 and 5000 committees.

Fire sprinklers help to reduce the carbon footprint of properties through the entire cycle of construction. They reduce carbon dioxide emissions from fires, reduce the amount of burned or non-recyclable building materials going to landfills, save energy on rebuilding after fire, conserve water, and reduce diesel fuel usage in heavy fire suppression equipment.

The carbon emissions are not solely from the fire itself; they are also from the billions of material needed to rebuild $14.6 BILLION in direct property loss following fires (2007 statistic from the National Fire Protection Association).

As a former volunteer firefighter in northern NJ, I remember a case in a neighboring community where a paint manufacturer’s fire had well over 4 million gallons of water applied to extinguish. There was a gully located approximately 50 feet from the building. The gully fed into a stream about a ¼ mile away and the fish were jumping OUT of the stream onto the bank because of the toxic, irritating material that was mixed in the water runoff from the firefighting operations.

Although codes may not require fire sprinklers in certain size buildings, fire sprinklers must be in all green construction projects to truly reflect this designation. I ask you – how can a green building, including single-family homes, be considered ‘sustainable construction’ if it is positioned to burn someday without the benefit of an automatic fire sprinkler system to suppress smoke and save materials?

Dominick Kasmauskas is the NY Regional Manager for the National Fire Sprinkler Association (NFSA) and Secretary to the NFSA Green Committee, as well as a member of the U.S. Green Building Council. After 32 years in the fire service as a Captain, NJ State Fire Instructor, and Fire Inspector, Dominick went on to gain experience in legislative matters. He is with the NFSA for over 8 years and is also an NFPA Certified Fire Protection Specialist and a NY Certified Codes Enforcement Official.

Getting home fire sprinklers added to the 2009 International Residential Code wasn’t easy. Opponents are still fighting to remove that requirement from the code, and NFPA and its allies have readied their arguments for hearings next month.

Code development hearings of the International Code Council set for Oct. 24-31 and Nov. 4-11 at a Hilton hotel in Baltimore will include the latest bout between advocates of residential fire sprinklers and their foes, notably the National Association of Home Builders. Four proposals to remove the requirement for home fire sprinklers in new one- and two-family homes from the 2009 International Residential Code will be considered at those hearings.

NFPA’s Fire Sprinkler Coalition has prepared seven pages of responses to the proposals, which are featured on pages 96-100 of this document. NFPA’s coalition says the arguments by sprinkler opponents are based on false statements and premises or misleading statements of the benefits sprinklers offer and their potential drawbacks. “The fact is that home fire sprinklers save lives and protect property from destruction by responding quickly and effectively to the presence of a nearby fire. In fact, the risk of dying decreases by about 80 percent when sprinklers are present. Sprinklers also reduce the average property loss by about 71 percent per fire,” according to the coalition.

NFPA urges ICC members to attend the hearings and vote no on the anti-sprinkler proposals.

Part three of a five part series focusing on the rapidly growing residential fire sprinkler market and why plumbing contractors are best positioned to capture this opportunity.

To view part two of the series visit “Plumbing Contractors Needed for Residential Fire Sprinkler Work“

Growing up in the home building business provides a very unique opportunity to learn about micro and macro economics without ever having to pay a single tuition bill. In fact, when taking these courses in college, I found myself arguing with the establishment most of the time, because not one of my instructors had ever experienced grossing $1 million one year and then struggling to stay in business with it for the next five. Mowing lawns to buy basketball shoes and cancelling family vacations, because interest rates changed as fast as the weather does. None of them had experienced living in a thriving community with great growth potential for several years to come and then see it completely stopped by a select group of community activists using a gas moratorium as a way to stop future growth. Now, several years later, ironically, a similar event has taken place, which is going to have one of the most significant impacts on the home building industry since 1.5 gallon toilets were mandated. Of course, I am speaking of the new IRC requirement for all new single and two family dwellings to have fire sprinkler systems installed.

The impact is estimated to be as high as $3 billion a year in potential revenue. Of course, there are those that are for this and those who are not. Nevertheless, it is here and the potential market that is now open to those who install fire sprinklers is also open to the plumbing industry as well. I say this because, contrary to many of the reports and articles written about this subject, the fire sprinkler industry is not large enough to absorb this type of demand. And, even with the pressure our capitalistic economy is currently feeling, demand for designers and installers of these systems is going to be very deliberate. So the question is, do you want to be a part of this market?

Before you answer, allow me to impart some observations that only someone in my position can share. First, I doubt anyone would argue with me about the significant differences there are between commercial and residential construction. Certainly this discussion alone would warrant several pages. However, when narrowed to the introduction of fire sprinklers to the home building process there are specific issues to consider. First, consider the fact that the plumbing industry can be characterized into three major groups. There are the large major mechanical contractors consisting usually of both HVAC and plumbing capabilities. These companies are found predominately on commercial types of projects, which require more than 2-3 man crews with construction schedules that can stretch out for months and many times years. Then there are those companies that concentrate on the residential markets. These would include multifamily as well as single family projects. These companies are usually much smaller than those involved in the commercial markets and tend to have smaller crews. The final group is those companies that have chosen to focus on the service side of the plumbing market. They are typically small to medium sized companies, less than 25 employees, and are structured to accommodate the general public’s plumbing service needs. They are not involved with new construction much, if any at all.

Of these three groups, it is the residential companies that are most prevalent and have the most opportunity to gain from the emerging residential fire sprinkler market. There are several simple reasons for this. First and foremost, they have the most to gain with the least amount of investment required. Let me explain. In residential construction, there are usually only five or six sub-contractors involved. They include the foundation, framing, mechanical, electrical, finish and painting contractors. Of course this will vary for several reasons, but for the purpose of this discussion these would be considered the core group for a home builder to contract with on a regular basis. Since the residential plumbing market is already very competitive the potential profit margins are very tight, especially when you consider the fact that average tract housing plumbing contracts only total $8 to $10k to begin with. So most residential contractors are looking for volume as well as the occasional custom home that comes along. Any chance one has to increase the base cost of their services means that while the actual margins may not increase, the amount of that margin allows opportunities for more rapid growth or internal capital improvements such as tools, trucks or even employee benefits.

Second, as long as I can remember, and my father before me and his father before him, every house that our family built had running water in it. What I mean by this is that plumbers have been on site for decades. Not so for fire sprinklers contractors. Plumbing contractors already have relationships built with current clients. They are familiar with home building trends, contracts and market conditions. The overwhelming majority of all fire sprinkler contractors in this country are commercial contractors. They do not have the years of experience with residential markets. Over the years, some have diversified into the residential markets but one thing is for sure, very few are capable, or for that matter, even want to participate in both markets. The reasons for this are the same reasons there are three groups of plumbing contractors. The bottom line costs are not as high as commercial construction and they have found that trying to accommodate both markets usually involves higher overhead which makes it harder to compete.

The third reason is the nature of the trade itself. It is pipe and water. Who better to adapt to this market than skilled labor that already knows how to work with the majority of the components involved with fire sprinkler systems. I have read several articles and reports from those on both sides of the residential fire sprinkler argument. And in response I say this: As a guy who started on his dad’s framing crew at age 14, going on to become the Vice President of the company and getting my Class A contractor’s license at age 21, only to end up as NICET IV fire sprinkler designer as well as a member of the NFPA committees that put the codes and standards for fire sprinklers into place, this is NOT hard. It will not take years of training and expense to merge the design and installation of fire sprinkler systems into an already successful residential plumbing contracting company.

While residential fire sprinkler systems have been required in select markets and geographic locations since the mid 1980’s, it has really only made its presence known in multi-family projects and even then it is fairly marginal. Today’s residential plumbing contractors have a very clear and distinct advantage coming into the residential fire sprinkler market. It would be prudent for them to consider this advantage as well as the education and training tools that are being made available by Fire Smarts and the Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors Association (PHCC). 2011 when the IRC requirement comes into effect is not far off. And given the current economic conditions in the residential market, demand can only grow. Like my father always said, “people will always need a place to live”. For me, these are words to build a company by.

In Part 4 of this series, “Residential Fire Sprinklers: Plumbing Contractor Competitive Advantage #2”, Steven Scandaliato, SET, will discuss how plumbing contractors that provide both domestic water and fire sprinkler services have a competitive advantage by reducing the general contractor’s administrative burden, while increasing their own profit margin.

Steven Scandaliato is a Fire Smarts Faculty member and Vice President of Business Development of Telgian Corporation. With over 23 years of fire protection engineering, design and project management experience he holds a Level IV certification from NICET in Fire Sprinkler Layout and serves as a member of the NFPA 13, 101 and 5000 committees.

The U.S. Fire Administration has promoted research, development, testing, and demonstrations of residential fire sprinkler systems for more than 30 years. The research regarding residential fire sprinkler systems has indisputably demonstrated the following:

- Residential fire sprinklers can save the lives of building occupants.

- Residential fire sprinklers can save the lives of firefighters called to respond to a home fire.

- Residential fire sprinklers can significantly offset the risk of premature building collapse posed to firefighters by lightweight construction components when they are involved in a fire.

- Residential fire sprinklers can substantially reduce property loss caused by a fire.

The time has come to use this affordable, simple and effective technology to save lives and property where it matters most – in our homes.

In the past year, the National debate about the benefits of residential fire sprinklers passed a major milestone with the adoption of a change to the International Residential Code that will require fire sprinklers in all new construction. This code change survived rigorous scrutiny, during which all interested parties had ample opportunity to comment on the technical merits of the issue. Since then, parties who oppose this life-saving technology have started a vigorous campaign to enact laws at the state level that will prohibit adoption of sprinkler requirements for new homes.

I encourage every member of the fire service to stay abreast of this rapidly changing situation, and to be ready to voice any concerns that you have about proposed legislation to your respective state legislature. The Fire Sprinkler Initiative website has been established to provide a central clearing house for up-to-date information. Log on to the site at http://firesprinklerinitiative.org – stay vigilant and keep the fire service community informed of developments in your area. Only by working together can we save lives.

It is the position of the U.S. Fire Administration that all Americans should be protected from death, injury, and property loss resulting from fire in their residence. All homes should be equipped with both smoke alarms and residential fire sprinklers, and all families should have and practice an emergency escape plan. The U.S. Fire Administration supports all efforts to reduce the tragic toll of fire losses in this nation, including the recently adopted changes to the International Residential Code that require residential fire sprinklers in all new residential construction.

Glenn A. Gaines
Acting Assistant Administrator
U.S. Fire Administration

The U.S. Fire Administration Announces its Support of a New Building Code Calling for the Use of Fire Sprinklers in New Homes

After 30 years of testing, research and development, the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) has announced its support of the 2009 International Residential Code (IRC), which mandates the installation of fire sprinklers in all new homes beginning in 2011.

“Every day firefighters bravely enter homes to rescue people from fire and risk their lives under collapsing roofs and floors, because of the lightweight construction that’s so prevalent these days in home building. This endorsement by the USFA comes as great news to fire service professionals across the country, who are supporting the IRC to include residential fire sprinklers as a critical component in fire protection in the home,” said John Viniello, president of the National Fire Sprinkler Association, the longest-tenured fire sprinkler advocacy organization in the U.S.

The new IRC mandate, a response to the growing fire problem in the U.S., is an initiative that could prevent more than 3,000 fire-related deaths and 60,000 serious fire-related injuries across the nation each year. About 90 percent of all fires occur in the home, fueled by new lightweight construction and more flammable home contents. In fact, the new sprinkler regulations are being endorsed by fire service professionals across the country, such as the U.S. Fire Administration, the International Association of Fire Chiefs, the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, and the International Association of Firefighters. Groups including these agree smoke detectors are no longer enough in residential fire protection, as lightweight construction has become more prevalent, house contents are more flammable than ever, and the time available to escape a house fire has reduced from 17 minutes 20 years ago to three minutes today, according to a cost-benefit analysis by FEMA.

“It is the position of the U.S. Fire Administration that all Americans should be protected from death, injury and property loss resulting from fire in their residences. All homes should be equipped with both smoke alarms and residential fire sprinklers, and all families should have and practice an emergency escape plan. The U.S. Fire Administration supports all efforts to reduce the tragic toll of fire losses in this nation, including the recently adopted changes to the International Residential Code that require residential fire sprinklers in all new residential construction. The time has come to use this affordable, simple and effective technology to save lives and property where it matters most – in our homes,” said Glenn A. Gaines, Acting Assistant Administrator for the U.S. Fire Administration.

USFA’s research regarding residential fire sprinkler systems has indisputably demonstrated that residential fire sprinklers can save the lives of civilians and firefighters and can reduce property loss as well as offset the risk of premature building collapse by lightweight construction when involved in a fire.

This was an interesting question that I asked myself before the inclusion of the residential sprinkler requirements in the last remaining model code to accept them for one and two family homes and townhouses.

During the period in time where the International Building Code and International Residential Code (IBC/IRC) committee’s were reviewing code change proposals for this inclusion and subsequently during the committee’s refusals to accept numerous proposals to include them; I was approached by one of our fire suppression personnel who learned that a new Habitat home was being planned in our jurisdiction.

The firefighter informed me of the project and presented me with information on a physical limitation one of the family’s children had. He asked if I thought we could get sprinklers donated. This is what started the research process into the feasibility of the project.

The greatest road block to my surprise was the historic stance the National organization had in not recommending Residential Fire Sprinklers for their projects but historically leaving it up to regional groups and local affiliates to decide. The question that kept coming up was why?

Apparently the greatest concerns were; a perceived lack in ability for homeowners to maintain such a complex system like sprinklers, the potentials for water damage and the potential liability for a non-maintained system and failure to operate.

Seizing the opportunity to provide public education; the local affiliate here in our county was contacted to discuss and address some of the concerns that existed about Residential Fire Sprinklers. I met with the affiliate’s General Contractor and we had a pleasant discussion about the common myths associated to Residential Fire Sprinklers and the ease in maintenance. He suggested that the local Board of Directors for Habitat be contacted to present them with the information we had discussed during our meeting and possibly provide them with materials to explain Residential Fire Sprinklers.

Naturally, as things work out the meeting was scheduled during the ICC Final Action Hearing where the vote for Residential Fire Sprinklers was going to take place. I sought assistance from our Building Official who was willing to take the roll on and to discuss this with the Habitat Board and show them a presentation on Residential Fire Sprinklers. The meeting was a success and the local affiliate was receptive and voted unanimously to having a system donated for this project.

The work now began to find contractors and resources where we could get the materials and installation donated. Various fire protection firms were contacted as we discussed the proposal and details about the Habitat project with them. I received commitments from three companies who all agreed to donate the entire design, materials, installation and labor for the home.

I was now faced with multiple companies who wanted to get involved and a new question; would the project need one contractor or multiple? After contacting each of them back and graciously thanking each for their willingness to assist, I notified them that I decided to go with a single source for our ease and needs in consistency in plan review, inspection and final testing.

The first company to commit was chosen and in an effort to not alienate the other two companies; I asked each of them if they would be interested in getting involved in the future for other local Habitat projects if the affiliate wanted to do more being that this would be their first sprinkled home in our region, in turn both agreed.

The Habitat’s affiliate General Contractor was notified of the company chosen and they began the preparation work for the sprinkler company’s needs to design the system and establish work schedules for their installation. The sprinkler company and the Habitat contractor began to discuss the schedule and other details while we stayed involved to help with the various processes.

This personal touch also assured and reinforced the Habitat Board’s desire that we would be assuring full code compliance in the process. The local Water Department was contacted as we sought relief from tapping and metering fees associated to residential construction and they agreed to assist, which made the entire process work much smoother. We were also able to get an exterior and interior alarm donated that went above the minimum standard requirement in NFPA 13D.

Once the plan review, installation’s rough-in and final acceptance testing were completed and the system was approved, there was a presentation service held to give the home to the family. The fire department was asked to attend and during the ceremony. I was asked by the affiliate Habitat Board to explain the sprinkler system donation process to the guests in attendance. I seized this platform to provide some additional public education to the dignitaries in attendance and afterwards I privately asked the family if I could stay after the ceremony to provide some additional training and operational procedures on the sprinkler system to them. Some of the dignitaries wanted to learn more also, so I figured the more the merrier.

The entire process worked out so well that I honestly believe the additional personal touches, willingness to provide additional education and the development of partnerships allowed us to successfully get the sprinkler system installed. The regional Habitat organization has since agreed to install Residential Fire Sprinklers in all their future home projects.

Habitat homes are typically donated to disadvantaged socioeconomic populations that are directly related to our mission in public education related to fire prevention. We were extremely pleased that the our regional affiliate for Habitat allowed us to assist them with installing residential sprinklers and we look forward to working with them in the future.

So, should we promote the sprinkling of Habitat Homes?

Fire Marshal Paul Dove has been employed by the City of Coldwater Michigan, Fire Department for 14 years and has served 24 years in the professional fire service. He was formerly employed by the Lake Park Fire Department (Palm Beach County Fire Rescue) in Palm Beach County, Florida as a Firefighter, Inspector, Investigator and Officer. He is a past president of the Michigan Fire Inspector’s Society and served as Code Committee Chairmen for ten years. He is currently serving a second term on the Michigan Fire Inspector’s Society Executive Board. He is a former principle member of the NFPA Life Safety Code and Building Code Technical Committee on Fire Protection Features and former member of the NFPA North Central Region Fire Code Development Committee. He is currently an instructor for the NFPA Fire Inspector and Plan Review Certification programs and the State of Michigan Inspector, Plan Review and Firefighter I-II Certification programs. He has conducted fire cause and origin investigations as lead investigator with associated partnerships in arson investigations for over 700 incidents involving fire and explosion for commercial, residential, industrial and vehicle property. He is a court qualified expert witness. During his career he was awarded with the LPFD Combat Cross for Bravery (1992), Rookie Firefighter of the Year (1986) and was awarded the Michigan Fire Inspector of the Year (2001).

By Robert Behre – The Post and Courier

Normally, it wouldn’t be considered a good thing to have several fire trucks, fire marshals and code inspectors parked in your driveway.

But in the case of the new 3,500-square-foot home under construction on Rice Pond Road in West Ashley, looks can deceive.

That’s because the gathering was planned by businessman Charles Stewart.

As head of Homesafe Fire Protection, Stewart wants to make a point, to educate Charleston officials and others about the first residential sprinkler system he has installed in the city.

“I really believe in another six to eight years, you’re not going to be able to buy a house without it,” he says.

What makes this system unique is not the technology, which has been around for years. Instead, it’s the price, about $2 per square foot, or about $7,000 in this home.

Unlike other systems that required a separate set of pipes and a backflow preventer and other costly add-ons, this system can be hooked up to a home’s regular plumbing, and that lowers the cost.

Code requires sprinkler systems for large apartment buildings and condominiums but not for single-family homes and duplexes.

Asked about the percentage of Charleston single-family homes that currently have a sprinkler system,

Charleston Chief Building Official Thomas Scholtens says it’s “very, very, very low.”

Admittedly, Stewart has a financial interest in promoting the new technology, but he also feels he has a higher calling.

Four out of every five fire deaths occur in homes, and they claimed the lives of 2,580 people in 2006, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Stewart notes a 1997 Scottsdale, Ariz., study found that 90 percent of the time, only one or two sprinkler heads were needed to put out a fire. They used about 300 gallons of water, compared with about 3,000 gallons of water that are sprayed inside a home if the Fire Department arrives.

The average damage from a home fire with a sprinkler system was less than $2,000, compared with $17,067 in homes without.

Scholtens notes that sprinkler systems can buy critical time to get family members out and will slow one of the greatest fire hazards: Toxic air caused when heat cooks out poisonous gases from a home’s building material.

“Well before you burn, you’re dead on the floor because of the gases,” he says.

Some might fear a system will go off accidentally, soaking furniture, carpets and other stuff, but Stewart notes that the sprinkler head’s cover doesn’t detach until it reaches a temperature of 135 degrees Fahrenheit, and it doesn’t begin to spray until it reaches 155 degrees.

Stewart walked around the framed home with almost two dozen firefighters, code inspectors and other officials to show off the loops of piping leading to more than a dozen sprinkler heads.

Last year’s meeting of national building code officials in Minneapolis voted to require sprinkler systems in new homes, but Scholtens notes it will take years before that code takes effect, and some interests are expected to fight it by arguing that it would make new homes too expensive.

That’s why Stewart hopes to convince people that these systems are a good idea, even if they’re not required by law. As the cost drops, that will be an easier sell.

To read the full article click here.

By Gal Tziperman Lotan – Taunton Daily Gazette

It was a shock. But maybe it shouldn’t have been. Oudah Frawi and his two infant sons died last week when a fire gutted their basement apartment in Quincy. A month earlier, three Plymouth seniors died in two separate house fires, days apart.

The blazes raised many questions, including: If fire safety is so rigorously taught in schools and community centers, with laws requiring sprinklers and detectors, why do more than 3,000 people die annually in residential fires?

“On some level, we’re victims of success,” said Lorraine Carli of the National Fire Protection Association in Quincy. “People aren’t as aware of fires, and not as many people feel like ‘that could happen to me.’”

And yet it’s happening more. Residential fires rose 11 percent statewide in 2007, according to the Massachusetts Fire Incident Reporting System. And the six South Shore fire fatalities in a month illustrate that the situation isn’t getting any better.

“It is very important that people still be very much aware of that fact, and aware that the vast majority of home fires can be prevented,” Carli said.

And more importantly, experts say, is that deaths in house fires can be prevented. Senior citizens are particularly vulnerable, Deputy Fire Chief William Carrico of Duxbury said. Those aged 65 to 74 are twice as likely to die in a fire as the general population, and people 85 and older are more than five times as likely to die in a fire, the U.S. Fire Administration reports.

Carrico suggests that adult children conduct regular safety inspections in their parents’ homes, making sure that walkways are clear of tripping hazards and smoke detectors on every level are fully functional.

“There are a lot of smart people out there, regardless of how old they are,” he said. “We’re just reminding them of these safety issues.”

Fire officials said parents must pay special attention to young children. Practice is key so that kids, who might hesitate because they are too scared or confused to move, know what to do if an alarm sounds.

Children who learn how the alarm works, by participating in regular fire drills or pressing the button triggering the alarm themselves, will function better in case of a fire, Carrico said.

“A lot of kids are afraid of smoke detectors,” Carrico said. “When it goes off they cover their ears and start screaming because they don’t understand it’s an important tool.”

Fire safety experts stress making sure safeguards, like detectors and sprinklers, are working. The Plymouth home of Eduardo and Maria Rosa Tavares, who died Feb. 12, did not have working smoke detectors. Frawi’s apartment also didn’t have smoke detectors, and the building’s central fire alarm system was turned off and silent.

It’s imperative the whole family has, and knows, an escape plan – including charting two ways out of every room. When they see smoke or flames, residents should quickly leave the house, then call 911, said Jennifer Mieth, state Department of Fire Services spokeswoman.

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Webinar presentation will educate participants on the use of multipurpose systems in residential fire sprinkler installation and why this is becoming the most cost effective solution.

A new webinar has been prepared by Fire Smarts, LLC on behalf of the Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors Association (PHCC) to inform contractors across the nation about the use of multipurpose systems in residential construction and how these systems can present a competitive business advantage for the plumbing contractor. The webinar is part of the Online Business Management Training offered by the PHCC.

The “Introduction To Multipurpose Residential Fire Sprinkler Systems” webinar will be presented by Jayson Drake, Uponor’s Sr. Product Manager for Fire Safety Systems, on April 22, 2009 at 3:00pm EST. Mr. Drake will educate participants on the NFPA 13D fire sprinkler standard as it applies to multipurpose systems and how these systems can give the plumbing contractor a competitive advantage when competing for this work by reducing the cost of installation. Further, participants will be introduced to the advantages and disadvantages of working with the PEX tubing commonly used in multipurpose systems.

“As the 2009 International Residential Code, which includes residential fire sprinkler requirements, is adopted as law, home builders and homeowners alike will demand innovation to drive down the cost of residential fire sprinkler systems,” said Ryan J. Smith, President of Fire Smarts, LLC. “The multipurpose system presents a compelling solution with all the characteristics needed to become the homebuilders ‘system of choice’ as this market continues to develop.”

The multipurpose system is ideal for plumbing contractors to install as the system piping serves both fire protection and domestic plumbing needs. In a market that has been projected to exceed $3 billion a year in the “Residential Fire Sprinklers Market Growth and Labor Demand Analysis” published by Fire Smarts, LLC in September 2008, there is a significant opportunity available for plumbing contractors who are capable of installing multipurpose systems. A growing number of industry experts agree that multipurpose systems, combined with plumbing contractor labor, will play a critical role in delivering cost-effective systems to meet the residential fire sprinkler code requirements.

“There is a lot of interest by PHCC members in this new market,” said Ike Casey, PHCC’s Executive Vice President. “We cannot afford to lose this market—especially in the current economy. I encourage all PHCC members and potential members to participate.”

Registration is open to all interested parties and PHCC members receive a discounted tuition rate for the course. For more information and to register for this webinar visit the PHCC Meeting Registration Website. This webinar is the second in a series of residential fire sprinkler educational and training opportunities that will be offered by the PHCC.

About PHCC: The PHCC – National Association is the oldest trade association in the construction industry and the premiere organization for the plumbing, heating and cooling professional. Since 1883, PHCC has been the leader in promotion, advancement, education and training. Today PHCC has more than 4100 contractor members from open and union shops, who work in the residential, commercial, new construction, industrial and service and repair industry segments.

About Fire Smarts, LLC: Fire Smarts, LLC is a leading provider of fire protection educational and training resources. The company operates the home fire protection resource website, Residential Fire Sprinklers .com , frequently publishes articles and reports on the latest industry developments and utilizes its team of Fire Smarts Faculty members to create custom training solutions for contractors, fire and building officials, and business organizations.