February 15th, 2009 by Residential Fire Sprinklers .com
“Discover How You and Your Family
Can Feel the Comfort of Continuous
Fire Protection In Your Home…”
Consider…
- That the most effective and reliable fire protection system was invented over 100 years ago, yet your home most likely is not protected.
- That your understanding of fire sprinklers may be based on commonly believed myths - separate the truth from the myths of home fire sprinkler systems.
- That smoke detectors frequently fail when you need them most - this is critical information if you have young children.
And you’ll also have access to the latest updates and industry news so you can confidently protect your home and family with the best fire safety methods.
On the left side of the screen just type in your first name and primary email address, then click the “Free Report!” button.
You will receive an email confirmation with a download link to instantly access the “Home Fire Safety - Consumer Bulletin.” This incredibly thought provoking report may forever change your views of home fire safety.
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This entry was posted on Sunday, February 15th, 2009 at 11:30 pm and is filed under Blog, News. You can follow any comments to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a comment, or trackback from your own site.
June 9th, 2008 at 2:47 pm
Fire sprinklers save lives, it is only a matter of time until thinking progresses to the point were we can’t justify putting a price on ONE single life.
June 26th, 2008 at 1:02 am
Where do I find a contractor with the proper qualifications to install a sprinkler system in my home. Will you please address in a future article what I should look for and insist upon when making my selection?
June 30th, 2008 at 9:58 am
Michael,
You hit the nail on the head with your comment. In fact, ResidentialFireSprinklers.com has been receiving frequent email requests from people looking for qualified contractors to install their fire sprinkler systems.
I am thrilled to see this growing desire to protect homes and families from fire. You bet that we will soon have an article published to shed some light on selecting a qualified contractor.
Actually, we got a lot more than just an article in the works for you. What’s coming will knock your socks off when you see how plain and simple it will be to find qualified contractors in your area.
Stay tuned. Make sure you have downloaded your free home fire protection report on the left side of the screen so I can notify you the moment we are ready to roll out the program.
July 27th, 2008 at 12:40 pm
My name is Scott Kimbrell. I am a branch manager of Ranger Fire here in Oklahoma. I am thrilled to see that there is a website to enlighten the public of how important life safety is. What people need to understand is that for a few thousand dollars they can not only lower their insurance premium, but also sleep well at night knowing that their loved ones are protected form fire and smoke.
If there is anything I can do to help spread the word let me know.
August 4th, 2008 at 5:28 am
I have been getting more and more calls about residential fire sprinkler systems. I have been in the industry for over 13 years and I am glad to see that people in the Carolina’s are starting to recognize the need for residential fire sprinklers. Saving lives that’s the most important aspect, that’s what drives me. I hope that South Carolina will pass the law requiring these systems to be installed in new homes and start saving lives.
Kris Hornberger
SimplexGrinnell LP
August 22nd, 2008 at 11:43 am
I am thrilled to see your web site, I have operated Residential Fire Sprinklers a licensed California C-16 fire protection contractor since 1994. Complete Fire Safety in the home is now possible. Education is key to implementation. Good Luck !
December 21st, 2008 at 11:25 pm
I’m Adrian and i have a plumbing and hydronic business - NewWay Energy and Hometechnic. Im very interested to install fire sprinklers and i was asked all the time by the builders if i know how to. i tried to find where i can get the education and training for that but i couldn’t find anything. if you could please give me more information i would appreciate it very much. thank you
“home fire protection is where the greatest need for change exists.” thats right from your view of point!!! first sorry i dont write so correct english, i’m born in Romania and my education was done in Romania and Germany,since 2003 in USA. ok from my view i think USA is going the right direction in using alternative energy sources like solar and geothermal;here i see a very big growth in the next decade, and the greatest need for change… ; but if we take a closer look u invest more money at start up for a payback and the smartest thing is to protect the assets like fire sprinklers.i agree with that and i want to do fire sprinklers because the change will come and should come. thx adrian
December 23rd, 2008 at 5:03 pm
Adrian, since you currently have a plumbing business I would highly recommend that you become a part of the Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors Association (PHCC) for your training needs, if you are not already a member. Fire Smarts LLC, is working with the PHCC to provide their membership introductory webinars on residential fire sprinklers with more specific and technical training to follow. This should fit very well with your needs as you consider entering the residential fire sprinkler market.
January 5th, 2009 at 6:04 pm
Ryan, I agree the residential sprinklers are very important and needed. As a person who works in the insurance industry I would like to see greater discounts applied by insurance companies applied to their home insurance.
From a insurance cost standpoint, there are greater cost saving opportunities for owners of commercial buildings on their insurance if they receive the Sprinkler Credit from an ISO Survey. An owner of a hotel which is sprinklered can save 5 times (or more) on his property insurance than if he did not get his building sprinklered.
January 12th, 2009 at 10:10 am
Can a sprinkler system be installed in a home that is subject to freezing temperatures? When a home is closed up for the winter and heat is turned off it gets well below freezing inside. And this same home has a well for the only water supply. Can we make the sprinkler system work in these conditions?
January 13th, 2009 at 11:33 am
Wayne, great question and the answer is yes. Fire sprinkler systems can be used in homes subject to freezing temperatures. There are several installation methods to accommodate freezing conditions including insulation, antifreeze systems, and PEX tubing. Insulation can be effective, but may not be enough in very low temperatures for long periods of time. Antifreeze systems do require additional maintenance to keep enough antifreeze in the system to prevent freezing. PEX tubing works especially well for these conditions since the material can swell when it freezes and shrink back to normal when it thaws.
February 2nd, 2009 at 1:17 pm
It’s great that plumbers are intrested in installing NFPA 13D sprinkler systems.
Just a reminder that some locations, like in the State of Illinois, require the systems to be designed by a NICET certified designer or a PE though the installation can be done by a plumber.
February 5th, 2009 at 10:04 am
I am interested in starting residential sprinkler system business in Kentucky,but I have never done this before. What do I need to do to get certified? How do I get information on what all is needed to do so?
February 5th, 2009 at 5:00 pm
Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction
101 Sea Hero Road
Suite 100
Frankfort, KY 40601
Phone: 502-573-0364
Fax: 502-573-1057
E-mail: mike.powers@ky.gov
James McKinney - email the person above and ask him, this is the Kentucky state department in charge of Fire Sprinklers. This should be a good jumping off point.
February 6th, 2009 at 2:15 pm
Michael, great articles and informative content can never be taken for granted and you’ve done a great job in presenting basic yet very timely information and insight.
We’re a company that is interested in getting in on the ground floor of inspecting residential sprinkler systems in new construction and are on the way to getting started looking for the right information. Would you please point us in the right direction in order to not be misled by some of the no value educational seminars out here. We want the meat and potatoes and only the serious instructors and certifiers that will be recognized by the industry. Thanks for this service and keep up the good work.
February 6th, 2009 at 10:17 pm
Bill, the 2007 NFPA 13d code book is only 30 some odd pages, learn it inside and out.
Focus your formal education on what is enforced in the cities or counties where you will be working.
If you are trying to become inspectors, you too need to be talking with people in your State’s (OH & MI) Fire Marshals Office. Where I’m at, in Washington State every county and city have their own input on the things they require over and above the NFPA13d code. Talk to those folks first, find out if they have uniformity on their requirements of the code, or if it is like mine.
Talk to your local Fire Marshal and Fire Chiefs.
These are to heart and soul of the industry. Find out what they want from inspections in your area.
As far as formal inspectors schools, I’m sorry I do not know of any.
To be honest, I work with an installing company that installs only pex piped, multi-purpose sprinkler systems. We have to have meetings with every Fire Marshal and Fire Chief in every new area we work. Most have never seen the type of systems we install. We get to “teach”, in a way, our inspectors. These folks are VERY experienced in fire sprinklers, but not in 13D multipurpose systems. They are surprised how simple and efficient these systems are. Initiating and Maintaining a good relationship with these guys and gals is vital to the success of our company.
One thing you will need is knowledge of fire sprinkler layout. You will need the equivalency of a NICET level 1 sprinkler layout certification. (this covers NFPA 13D only)This will at least give you enough background to make the call if want to pursue this further.
Check with AFSA or NFSA and see what they offer in your area.
I hope this helps.
February 7th, 2009 at 11:18 pm
Bill, I’ll just add one thing to the comments above since you have indicated you are looking for the “meat and potatoes” from “only the serious instructors”. AFSA and NFSA have some great training programs if you can fit into their schedule, but if you are training more than three people at the same time or need a more customized program, I would highly recommend the private training services of Fire Smarts, LLC. Their Faculty team of industry experts provide private and personalized training. In full disclosure, I am affiliated with Fire Smarts and they are the sponsor of this site. To see a list of training topics available visit Fire Sprinkler Training.
February 19th, 2009 at 4:54 am
Yes! I am a “supporter” of residential sprinkler systems and I have over the last 9 months been trying to pass a “new” state law here in the State of Texas that requires automatic fire safety suppression systems (sprinkler systems) in ALL “NEW” residential home construction, but Texas is one of those states that does not believe in “progress”.I have contacted every state “agency” on this issue and (which does not “surprise” me down here) Texas legislators would rather spend time and money on “issues” that they can not control or want to spend $5 to go after $1. Typical Texas “politics”.
It is amazing to me that 16 states in the United States require or mandate residential sprinkler systems in all “new” home construction, but Texas is like the “turd that won’t flush down the toilet” when it comes to fire safety “progress” for the 21’st century.
Down here in the good “ol’e Lone Star” state the attitude towards something like this is that “as long as my home doesn’t burn, I do not care” If some one dies in a residential fire the “attitude” down here is that “I pray for the family” or some other “religious” B.S. or “That’s just how we do things down here ya’ll” and it is “true” I live here in San Antonio, Texas and we have this “fire problem” here all the time, but from our city “government” to our state “government” no one wants to “step-up to the plate” on making Texas home “safer” by mandating residential sprinkler systems in Texas homes.
You would think that Mr. Rick Perry (Texas governor) would pass a state law on this, but unfortunately Mr. Perry’s “interest” is not on residential home safety, his “intrest” is about money.Especially since the state mansion was nearly burned down.You would think that Mr. Perry would have a different “attitude” about fire safety.
Also! Texas is “naive” when it comes to this type of topic(s)on fire safety and as one senator had told me “That if Texan’s are too “lazy” to change a battery and test a smoke detector whether it is a battery operated or “hard-wired” one,do you think that they would “test” a residential sprinkler system? And yes! Texas is a “lazy” state, but at what level does it have to get before and how many more “bodies” does it take for the State of Texas to “wake-up”?
Is there anyone in the Texas state legislator that “supports” a state law on residential sprinkler systems? The only thing that is “mandatory” under Texas state law is smoke detectors and that has been “law” since 1981 and the “revised” “Madla’s Law” which closes the “grandfather” clause in the law for homes that were built before September 1, 1981 when Texas’s “smoke detector” law went into effect ( Section 92-252 of the Texas “Health and Safety” Code effective September 1, 1981).
Now forward 28 years later (2009)Texas should have law like this NOW for residential sprinkler systems.
February 20th, 2009 at 6:13 pm
What is to stop a homeowner from shutting off the sprinkler system? It’s hard enough to remind the average homeowner to change a smoke detector battery! What about children - throwing balls, hitting a head, destroying property by water damage? The control needs to be in the CONSTRUCTION of the home, not the OPERATION of the home, because users cannot be relied upon to maintain systems safely. Mandatory sprinkler systems are a very poorly thought-out item, and will surely be reversed in the next IRC code release
February 22nd, 2009 at 1:33 pm
Mark,
Item 1: The beauty of a well designed Home Fire Sprinkler System is that the home owner does not have to remember to do anything. In a multipurpose sprinkler system, the toilets get their water service from the sprinkler plumbing. If they shut off the sprinkler, they shut off the toilets(not very likely). The only maintenance that needs to be done is the check if the fire bell is working. If the homeowner does not do this, it will not have any effect on the sprinkler system working. (At worst, the bell may not work.)
Item 2:The most common sprinkler head in use today is of the concealed type, it has a 1/4″ profile and a 3″ circle on the ceiling is all you see. While not vandal proof, it puts an end to the type of mistake with a ball that you describe.
Item 3:Mandatory sprinkler systems is a very well thought out item. Construction control is NOT the answer.
CONTENTS of a house is what ignites and burns in almost ALL home fires, not the structure. From ignition to flashover in about three minutes. Between carpet, flooring, upholstery, window coverings, and furnishings, it is what we put in our home is what supplies the fire load. At the point of flashover, nobody is alive in that room anymore. Again, this is only three minutes. Only at the flashover point does it even become a structure fire.
How a house is constructed will not change this,and can not protect its owners from fire.
But a sprinkler system can prevent flashover, by putting water on the fire before it gets lethal. This gives time for escape, to save lives.
April 13th, 2009 at 2:55 pm
Great to run across this site. I live up in Vancouver, Canada where any new residence MUST have a sprinkler system installed. This law was passed at least 10 years ago and I became involved in my retirement designing residential sprinkler systems. It may seem to be overkill for each system to have an engineer’s stamp on each design but there have been many cases where only 3/4 inch diam pipe is installed in a house and barely a trickle comes out of a remote head when activated—so watch the friction calculations.
As a last note: 96% of all domestic fires are extinguished by a single sprinkler head when a house has a sprinkler system installed.
April 13th, 2009 at 3:10 pm
Just read the thread above. It is hard to believe the resistance to fire protection. So many tragedies can be saved by a single sprinkler.
I had no idea we were so progressive.
Good Luck with the politicians down there.
April 19th, 2009 at 11:36 am
If there was ever a need that could be supported by the federal stimulus funds surely this is one. Has there been any discussion in the industry to seek federal stimulus funds to support retrofitting homes with sprinklers? It would be a double hit - creating jobs and saving lives.
It should be no surprise that the public is very naive about the cost vs. benefit of a residential sprinkler system. If a person can afford a flat panel TV; they can afford a residential sprinkler system. We need to get the word out to the public.
Obama was supported by the IAFF during his campaign. There should be some return expected on their “investment” and this effort is worthy. The loss of a home is tragic enough without the loss of loved ones.
April 21st, 2009 at 5:31 am
Kitchen fires question.
If a high percentage of residential fires start in the kitchen stove-tops from burning cooking oil, for example, and sage advice from NFPA and other sources say do not use water to put out those fires, why is the use of fire sprinklers considered safe and effective for these fires?
I have a hard time coming to terms with that logic. Can anyone throw some light on this?
Thanks
April 29th, 2009 at 8:32 pm
I just added a home sprinkler system to my home with the help from the home fire sprinkler coalition. I had never even heard of a sprinkler system in homes until my home caught fire in Jan. When my family and I were displaced to a Hotel I realized they had a sprinkler system and I thought if they put them in Hotels why not homes. I am still not home yet and I don’t know if I would ever be able to move back if it weren’t for the sprinkler system. It will bring me peace of mind. My fire happened while I was awake and I was lucky enough to get me and my 3 small children out of the house but if my fire would have happened at night I am not so sure I would have been that lucky.
Home sprinkler systems are very low cost while building your home it should be mandated to protect you and your family!
Most people have lawn sprinkler systems put in so their grass is green why not add a sprinkler system in your home to protect the lives of your family and the fire department, if the need would arise?
I think the public should be educated on home sprinkler systems so they know this is an option for them.
I wish I knew how to help more and I am so glad people are pushing for this because it should be mandated!
May 1st, 2009 at 7:07 am
I have a residential home for Sr. Adults in Munford, Al. Do you install in this area? I need an estimate. You can e-mail me.
Thanks,
Linda
May 20th, 2009 at 3:18 am
Carl G
I doubt we will ever see any “stimulus money” for anything so worthwhile as residential sprinklers anytime soon which is a shame because as you noted they do save lives and property.
The enlightened ones who recognise the benefits of sprinklers to the property owners should be sure to share with the lawmakers and opponents of these systems that they also benefit the whole of the community because with a fire system the first level of fire prevention responsibility is shifted from the community fire department to the individual homeowner.
One of the great attributes of any community is PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY for oneself and not a reliance on the government.
Phillip
I can see the logic of your conflict but there is a vast difference between throwing a pot full of water on a grease fire and executing a continous spray upon the oil fire. In the pot or two of water the oil just floats to the top and out of the pan while a continous discharge of a fine spray from above the fire will cool the oil to below its flash point and thereby control the fire.
BTW the average home fire including kitchen fires only needed about 300 gallons of water compared to over 3,000 gallons for a fire department hose to control the blaze by the time they got to the scene.
I hope this helps
Charlie
May 22nd, 2009 at 8:02 am
Being NICET IV certified in fire sprinkler layout, I have lots of experience, I want to throw just a little cold water onto the “I want to get into the business of installing fire sprinklers” enthusiasm. For 13D systems it is possible for HVAC companies to do the job but there are a few things they better be aware of before they embark down the path of being an installation company.
You better know what you are doing and you better do it right. If there is a fire and loss of life in a home that does have sprinklers you better believe there will be lawyers and if you didn’t do the job right it won’t be pretty.
For example using a Viking Freedom HSW (VK460) to cover a 12′-0″x22′-3″. In this configuration we would need 38 gpm @ 42.9 psi at the head. I would venture a guess, once considering head loss for back flow prevention devices, valves, pipes, fittings and height less than half of the city water systems in the country will supply the kind of pressure needed to make this work.
1″ CPVC might sound like a good size pipe but at 38 gpm the friction loss through a total of 100′ equivalent pipe length exceeds 22 psi. A total equivalent length of 100′ is very easy to get and with an 8′ height ceiling (3.5 psi), end sprinkler pressure (42.9 psi) and 22 psi friction loss we’re at 68.4 psi without calculating a loss through back flow and meter devices. I will bet more than half the towns in the USA are unable to provide 68 psi required (much less the 70 to 80 psi should we add in underground, back flow preventers etc).
If there is a fire with loss of life there could be a case for negligent homicide if the job wasn’t done right.
If you want to do it that’s fine with me but you better do it right.
June 1st, 2009 at 11:52 am
I like this page. wish to obtain yor safety bulletins
June 8th, 2009 at 3:33 pm
Hello,
I am looking to start a residential sprinkler company. I am a Carpenter by trade and interested in more information regarding training and certification in PA.
Thank you in advance for your time,
Bill C Scharr
June 15th, 2009 at 8:12 pm
i am also looking to start a home based fire protection bussiness in south carolina. the good thing is i have been installing 13r and 13 systems for 8 years now and am very familiar with viking, blazemaster and tyco products, i guess more of what im looking for is where to get my own personal licsensing. i know some states only require a plumbers licsense. i have worked all over this country with the company that i am currently employed with and i enjoy the work , just getting tired of working so far away.
June 19th, 2009 at 1:20 am
But what do you do when the City pressure exceeds the maximum allowable for the plumbing fixtures? My Local Fire Department will not allow us to regulate the systems. Also how do we get around the alarm requirements some jurisdictions won’t wave? If we do a combo system this could be a concern
Thanks for the help
June 20th, 2009 at 8:45 am
to john campbell
just use pressure reducing valves they come in various sizes and can be used in different applications and are even adjustable to seek the pressure you are looking for
June 22nd, 2009 at 9:04 am
There in lies the problem. Every regulating device typically used for a home has a maximum flow that is LESS than the typical sprinklers demand, not to mention the friction loss thru them. When you combine domestic demand and fire sprinkler demand the flow exceeds that which the regulating device is designed/approved for so the FD won’t allow them. What is needed is a high flow GPM PR valve in 1″ - 1-1/4″ size. This, in our area, than requires a stand alone system
July 1st, 2009 at 12:48 pm
When the fire engine hooks up to the FDC what pump discharge pressure should they use? I’ve been told 150 psi (as is normal for commercial buildings) may blow apart the sprinkler system.