Fire Sprinklers
Fire sprinklers provide a superior level of protection. Unfortunately, many people do not know that they are available for homes. Many are misinformed about their cost, effectiveness and reliability. For details about these items, see our page at Residential Sprinklers Described.
A note about the installation costs. Sprinklers add about one percent or less to the cost of a new home. The cost is similar to an upgrade in carpet quality, except that the sprinklers will last for the life of the home while the carpet needs to be replaced every ten years. When you consider the total life cycle cost, then, sprinklers cost far less than a carpet upgrade.
How effective are sprinklers? If you have the recommended number of smoke alarms, you increase your chances of surviving a fire by 47 percent. Sprinklers increase that to over 97 percent. The reason for this is that a sprinkler will act before a fire can grow large enough to spread smoke and toxic products - the things that kill people in dwelling fires. In nearly every case, only one sprinkler is enough to handle a fire. Do you think that all of the sprinklers in a room or home go off at the same time? If so, you have been victimized by Hollywood sitcom writers. See How Sprinklers Work and Sprinkler Facts to find out how they really work.
An experienced contractor should install the system. Likewise, it should be designed by a professional with experience in residential sprinklers. Water supply varies widely, and experienced designers will select the sprinklers based on the available flow and pressure in each room.