I am remodeling a home and I am considering installing sprinklers on the top floor where the kids rooms will be. Pros and Cons? Has anyone done this before. My only fear is that they might go off accidentially and cause water damage.
Thank you!
2007-01-04 00:29:54 · 8 answers · asked by Lauretta R 3 in Home & Garden ➔ Other - Home & Garden
Be sure you Put sprinklers where the fire will start. Not possible to determine, is it. You might feel it best to sprinkler the whole house, or none.
What are your concerns, life safety or property safety. In the absence of invalids, drunks, druggies and the like, you can buy a respectable level of life safety with a smoke detection system. It would be best to have a fire alarm control unit and system connected photoelectric-type smoke detectors. Next best would be photoelectric-type smoke alarms, interconnected. I would not use ionization-type smoke detectors or smoke alarms. They can be much less effective than the photoelectrics.
Smoke detecting systems give some level of property protection, but only if occupants are present.
If you do sprinkler the home, you will still want a minimum number of smoke alarms.
2007-01-04 18:16:11 · answer #1 · answered by Ed 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I won't "paste in" commercial information; I will answer the question.
First- Commercial style sprinkler costs would be prohibitive, but, there are several systems available now designed for residential installation and they are much more reasonable. However, it's much easier to install in new construction than in remodel,and that is an added cost factor. A sprinkler system would probably lower your home insurance, that is an off-setting factor.
Sprinklers are very reliable. While you can open a head with an impact, the fixtures are ceiling mounted and thus rarely at risk.
The heads open individually when the surrounding environment reaches a certain heat, such as that which would accumulate at the ceiling level from the rising heat of a small fire.
Yes- they would do water damage when they opened. However, the amount of damage from a sprinkler doing it's job early is tiny compared to that of the fire department doing theirs 20 minutes later.
Put in a quality product with quality workmanship and accidents are extremely unlikely.
2007-01-04 08:49:27 · answer #2 · answered by pegasusaig 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Many people have seen fire sprinklers at work. They’ve seen them in hotels and hospitals and schools. But many people don’t realize that they can have fire sprinklers installed in their homes too.
Having fire sprinklers at home is very important. More than 80 percent of fire deaths happen at home.
Fire Sprinklers in Your Home
If you are making changes to your home, or planning to build a new home, talk to someone at your fire department about having a fire sprinkler system installed. Ask for help finding a qualified sprinkler installer.
If you are moving, ask your realtor or rental agent to show you homes that have fire sprinkler systems already installed.
How Fire Sprinklers Work
Piping is installed behind the walls, just like regular plumbing. This piping keeps water ready in case of fire. Sprinklers are attached to the pipes. The sprinklers are in the ceiling or on the side walls. Sometimes they have special covers on them. That helps them blend in to the ceiling.
Fire sprinklers are made so they turn on when a fire raises the temperature near the sprinkler. Most home fire sprinklers turn on at about 135°F. If there is a special cover, it falls of at about 130°F.
Fire sprinklers are not like smoke alarms. They do not turn on when there is smoke in the room. Fire sprinklers can only turn on when a fire raises the temperature. And each fire sprinkler works on its own. They do not spray water all together.
When fire sprinklers turn on, they put water right on the flames. Only the sprinkler(s) closest to the fire will open. Usually only one sprinkler is needed in home fires.
The sprinkler turns on very quickly. It turns on while the fire is still small. This controls or puts out the blaze. It limits the amount of heat and poison smoke made by the fire. That saves lives.
In most home fires, the sprinkler will put out the fire before the fire department arrives. Then firefighters turn off the water supply.
Know the Facts
There are many myths about home fire sprinkler systems. Here are the facts:
Sprinklers stop or slow down a fire. They keep it from growing and spreading. That gives you and your family the time you need to get out and call the fire department.
The main job of fire sprinklers is to save lives. But fire sprinklers also protect your home and your things. Sprinklers turn on while the fire is still small. That holds down the fire and smoke damage to a home. Fire sprinklers put far less water on the fire. They usually spray about 25 gallons of water per minute.
In a home that doesn’t have sprinklers, a fire will keep growing and spreading. When firefighters arrive several minutes after they get an emergency call, they will have to put about 250 gallons of water per minute on the fire. And they will use powerful fire hoses. When a home doesn’t have fire sprinklers there is far greater damage from a fire and from water.
Even though you may have seen it in movies, fire sprinklers do not spray water all at once. In most home fires only one sprinkler is needed to put out the fire. Cigar smoke or smoke from burned food cannot turn on a sprinkler.
The nonprofit Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition (HFSC) estimates that fire sprinklers add about 1-1.5 percent to the overall cost to build a new home. The cost is part of the new home mortgage, just like plumbing is.
2007-01-04 08:33:22 · answer #3 · answered by gabound75 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
sprinklers in the home are a good idea and can often get you a break on your home insurance there are protective cages that can be placed over the sprinkler heads to guard from accidentally setting them off like hitting with a ball or something else they could be painted to match any color scheme.
2007-01-04 10:59:00 · answer #4 · answered by Pat B 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Fire sprinklers in the home can reduce the likelihood of death by 57%.
2014-02-05 05:14:14 · answer #5 · answered by Sally 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They will only go off when high heat is applied. the room temperture won't affect it at all, but a match will, sometimes kids are courious, so you will have to explain to them never to touch the sprinklers..
2007-01-04 08:41:27 · answer #6 · answered by avilone2002 1 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Well worth the investement IMO, Residential Sprinklers Solutions carry a great range, will handle the install and give advice, check them out.
2014-02-26 10:08:43 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
yes
2007-01-04 08:32:42 · answer #8 · answered by bob 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋