Residential Sprinkler Systems

Eighty percent of fire deaths occur in residences, with over 3,000 people dying per year in U.S. house fires. Despite the statistics, residential sprinkler systems have yet to become code-mandated in new-home construction and few homeowners who have the option choose to include this life-saving investment in their home.

The Case for Home Sprinklers

Common misconceptions about sprinkler systems (also called residential fire-protection systems and residential fire-suppression systems) prevent people from including one in their home. The fear of a misfiring sprinkler head and the belief that a room fire activates the entire system are two such common misconceptions.

“Hollywood movies show sprinklers going off everywhere,” says Roy Marshall, executive director of the Residential Fire Safety Institute (RFSI). “This is what people think of, and it's unfortunate.” In truth, occurrences of misfiring sprinkler heads are extremely rare (one manufacturer claims the chances to be 1 in 16 million), and systems are designed so only the sprinkler heads directly affected by the heat of a fire become activated, not the whole system.

A residential sprinkler system will save a homeowner money in the event of a fire. When activated, a sprinkler head will spray 15 to 20 gallons per minute. “Eighty to ninety percent of fires are put out with one sprinkler head,” Marshall says. Water damage from fire suppressed by a home sprinkler system incurs an average of $2,200 in costs; water damage from a fire suppressed by a fire department adds up to an average of $45,000. “The sprinkler head will put out the fire before it grows,” says Marshall, “while the fire department may take 15 to 20 minutes to get there, and when they do they are dumping 250 gallons per minute and chopping holes in the roof to put out the fire.”

In some states, residential sprinkler systems are now required by code in new construction and certain-sized remodels.

Stand-Alone vs. Multi-Use Sprinkler Systems

There are two main types of residential sprinkler systems: stand-alone and multi-use. Although both systems rely on the home's water supply, a stand-alone system utilizes its own piping, and may need a back-flow device. Stand-alone systems will use flexible plastic or copper tubing. If a home relies on a well for water, a storage tank and pump will be necessary to ensure an adequate water supply for the system in the event of a fire. Storage tank size may vary depending on system size, and some codes require a minimum-sized tank. Scottsdale, Ariz., for example, requires a 550-gallon minimum storage tank for residential sprinkler systems running off a well.

The water in stand-alone systems does not circulate, and might be susceptible to stagnation, depending on the piping used. “Our orange plastic tubing will not corrode or leave any sediment,” says Jack Wilkinson, vice president for Genesis Fire Protection Inc. “There is no maintenance required.”