Residential Sprinklers
Fire sprinklers have been used to protect many commercial properties for over 100 years. Properly installed and maintained system have been dramatically effective at saving lives and property in commercial properties. Newer sprinkler systems are now available for residences which offer similar benefits to any home owner.
Residential sprinklers systems are becoming more and more affordable. They increase property value and often lower insurance rates. The latest systems connect directly to standard home plumbing systems.
Individual sprinkler heads
activate only in the vicinity of a fire minimizing water damage while
protecting your remaining property and loved ones.
We highly recommend these
systems to everyone, especially those renovating, buying, or building a house.
- click to open page with informational video -
Residential sprinkler costs continue to drop.
The cost of a sprinkler system is about $1.50 per square foot in a hew home.
For a 1000 square foot home this would be $1500. The cost of a sprinkler
system in an existing home ranges from $2.50 to $5 per
square foot depending on how difficult it is to run the pipes. This assumes the
availability of adequate and reliable water supply.
Residential sprinklers differ in design from commercial sprinklers.
The sprinklers that you find in hotels, offices and other commercial buildings
use larger quantities of water because fires in these types of buildings can
involve large fuel loads. Residential sprinkler systems use faster acting
'heads' to allow the system to activate when the fire is still in its very
early stages of development. Smaller fuel loads and quicker activation allow
residential sprinklers to require
less water - the typical home's domestic water supply is usually sufficient.
All sprinkler are extremely effective.
As soon as a sprinkler head activates it sprays water onto the burning object
and puts out or controls the fire. The sprinkler system stops the growth of
the fire very early, and this in turn halts fire spread and the generation of
deadly smoke.
Limited water damage.
Unlike fires you watch on TV and in the movies, real fires typically activate
only one or
two sprinkler heads directly over a fire . Because they begin working while a
fire is
still in its incipient stage (small), one or two heads usually extinguish or
control most fires. The damage caused by a fire that spreads will far exceed
the damage done by a sprinkler. The heads that activate in residential
sprinkler systems discharge water at a low rate and will not "flood" your home.
After a fire, or if a head is accidentally damaged (very rare), a supply valve
can quickly shut off the water. Never do this yourself after a fire ! ! ! -
always call the fire department and let us determine it is safe to shut off the
water.
You still need smoke detectors !
The combination of smoke detectors and sprinklers in your home greatly increase
your chances of surviving a fire. Smoke detectors will be your first
alert for a fire and allow you to escape quickly while your sprinkler system
soon activates to control the fire. Smoke detectors can also provide warning
of fires that start in areas out
of range of sprinklers, such as within a wall space.
Contact us if you need more information.