The Fire Sprinkler War

propublica.org ^ | June 22, 2016 | Robert Faturechi

[Don W]

FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS, states have quickly adopted most building safety features blessed by the Washington-based nonprofit that recommends minimum codes for the nation. But that’s not what happened after the International Code Council decided in 2008 that every new American home should have fire sprinklers. Fire Fight Far outside DC, there’s a campaign finance fight taking place over fire safety. And it’s putting families at risk.

Instead, a review by ProPublica shows, U.S. homebuilders and realtors unleashed an unprecedented campaign to fend off the change, which they argued would not improve safety enough to justify the added cost. Housing industry trade groups poured money into lobbying and political contributions. Their well-to-do members strong-armed local officials or dazzled them with hometown projects.

[rapture-me]

Also familiar with codes, I would add the following, the code could require a separate water service with post indicator valve, un-metered or with full flow meter (big expense). The Service might add 50% to the nominal cost you describe. Additionally residential is full of unheated spaces that are still combustable. You might add a big cost to use fire treated lumber (plus the chemical exposure long term) to have an unheated attic and still not have sprinkler heads there. Additionally the attic could no longer be used for storage due to code issues. The ramifications are very extensive and would need to be understood by the consumer. I will agree, that it is not a valueless additional feature to a single family dwelling and also agree that other than kids with clothes hangers, accidental discharge is unlikely.

You are referring to sprinklers on a commercial installation. Home sprinklers are generally supplied by the domestic service and do not require a lot of the fluff that a commercial system does. Home sprinklers are intended for only "Life Safety" whereas the commercial are more in depth. Generally in a home fire system, attics are not required to be protected and fire treated lumber is not required.

[KC Burke]

I know the limited system you are referring to but once you turn loose the code modifiers who knows what we will get.

I did construction in Kansas City after the Hyatt Regency skywalks collapse and code changers and enforcement process changes made permitting a nightmare for the following decade.

[Moltke]

A couple of smoke detectors and a manual fire extinguisher or two might be a sensible compromise...

[mrsmith]

Plastic pipe has made a drastic reduction in cost!
Y’all should have your sales people keeping an eye on rural areas that are expanding public water systems. Dropping the cost of a well booster pump combined with the long fire department response times makes a good sales pitch.

I don’t think they should be nationally mandated of course- there are still significant variables- but they are usually a good choice.

[rapture-me]

Plastic pipe has made a drastic reduction in cost!

There is currently plastic pipe approved for fire sprinklers (Blazemaster). Also, the prices have finally come down to be cheaper than steel. Standard Schedule 40 PVC pipe though is not approved for use in sprinkler systems.

[George from New England]

Who is going to pay for the malfunction and the false tripping damage caused. Home owner insurance companies will find a way to extract their fees by increased premiums.
Or insurance companies will write new exclusions to the policies.

[mrsmith]

“CPVC piping continues to be the material of choice”
http://www.nfpa.org/~/media/files/research/research-foundation/research-foundation-reports/suppression/homefiresprinklercostassessment2013.pdf?la=en (pdf)

Common, cheap pipe. Doubt if it’s suitable for exposed locations though. Should be protected by wallboard.

[TigersEye]

Pushing the American Dream of owning a house out of reach
for even more people. The PTB are trying to destroy the
middle class.

[rapture-me]

Who is going to pay for the malfunction and the false tripping damage caused. Home owner insurance companies will find a way to extract their fees by increased premiums. Or insurance companies will write new exclusions to the policies.

In Texas, it is a state mandated policy that any home protected by Automatic Sprinklers will receive a 10% discount on their insurance. They don't false trip or malfunction. In fact, they are more reliable than your toilet which does overflow occasionally.

[TigersEye]

If the quote was $17k twenty years ago it would probably be at least $50k now.

[R. Scott]

That sounds better.