Residential Fire Sprinklers

Fire sprinklers have been used to protect many commercial properties for over 100 years. Properly installed and maintained systems have been dramatically effective at saving lives and property in commercial properties. Sprinkler systems are also available for residences and in addition to the life safety benefits, they increase property value and may lower your home insurance costs.

Clearing-up the Hollywood Misconception

They don't all go off at once.

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.

Residential Sprinkler Costs Continue to Drop 

The cost of a sprinkler system averages around $1.50 per square foot in a hew home. For an existing home, the range is from $2.50 to $5 per square foot depending on how difficult it is to run the pipes. One major factor contributing to the lowered costs is building codes now allowing the water supply piping to be made of flexible plastic, which makes installation in existing buildings much easier.

Residential Sprinklers Differ in Design Than 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 "rapid response" technology to allow activation when the fire is still in its very early stages. This slows the spread and helps limit the generation of deadly smoke. Smaller fuel loads and quicker activation allow residential sprinklers to require less water, meaning the typical home's domestic water supply is usually sufficient.

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 lower rate to minimize flooding of your home. After a fire, or if a head is accidentally damaged (very rare), a supply valve can quickly shut off the water. Avoid doing this yourself after a fire; always call 9-1-1 even if the fire was extinguished and and let us determine it is safe to shut off the water.

You Still Need Smoke Alarms

The combination of smoke alarms and sprinklers in your home greatly increase your chances of surviving a fire. Smoke alarms will be your first alert for a fire and allow you to escape quickly while your sprinkler system activates to control the fire. Smoke alarms can also provide warning of fires that start in areas out of range of sprinklers, such as within a wall cavity.