Fire sprinklers are common in commercial buildings, but relatively rare in homes. New types of sprinklers have now been created which make the installation of residential fire sprinklers more economical and which are more attractive than the familiar commercial systems.
Many people think that a fire sprinkler is too expensive to install in a residential location. While retrofitting a sprinkler system into an existing home may involve a substantial investment, these costs can be significantly lowered when putting up new construction. By working with a builder who is experienced with designing sprinkler systems, installation costs can be capped at a manageable 1 percent over the original budget.
Homeowners also worry that a sprinkler system will activate throughout the entire home in case of a fire, and cause water damage in areas that were not near where fire or smoke damage was to be expected. Sensors that detect smoke and heat are now an integral part of fire sprinklers, and these sensors only operate sprinkler heads in the portion of the home that is in danger.
Because residential fire sprinkler are smaller than commercial systems, the pipes and sprinkler heads can usually be disguised or hidden from view without disturbing the aesthetics of the home’s furnishings. Also, sprinklers are placed in all areas of the home and operate automatically, so insurance companies will normally offer a greater discount with this type of protection. When the discounts are spread over two decades, this may cover the original cost of the system’s installation.
