Arizona Considering Fire Sprinkler System Requirement
Friday
From an article in the Arizona Daily Star: "As national regulators consider requiring fire sprinklers in every new home, one local fire district is pushing to make it a condition for homes built on the Northwest Side.
Already, large homes built on the edge of the district are required to have sprinklers installed in every home, but fire officials want the requirement extended to all new homes built in fast-growing areas of Marana and Pima County. The sprinklers, which add about $3,000 to the price of a new home, are an unnecessary regulation, some home builders said.
Fire officials say the increased cost is balanced by discounted home insurance rates, although according to a survey of two large insurance companies, the discounts would take years to equal the extra cost.
But homeowners could see other savings where it matters most: life and property. Homeowners who have sprinklers experience about $40,000 less damage than homeowners who don't, according to a 15-year study done by the Scottsdale Fire Department. Once sprinklers were triggered, they stopped fires 93 percent of the time."
Read the rest of the article here.
What I found interesting in the article was the line where it says "according to a survey of two large insurance companies, the discounts would take years to equal the extra cost."
The interesting fact is that adding fire sprinklers to a residence is one of the only, if not only, additions that you can make to your house that will pay you back. Even if it's over a long period of time, you will save money. Nearly everything else in your house can depreciate over time. Sprinklers actually save you money on insurance payments - which is like money in the bank.
If you need a fire sprinkler system installed in your house, you can find a company through ConstructionDeal.com. Our network of sprinkler companies will call you to bid on the job, which save you plenty of time from searching at random in the phone book. And multiple bids means you may also save money. It's a free service and we're waiting to help on any residential or commercial job.
But homeowners could see other savings where it matters most: life and property. Homeowners who have sprinklers experience about $40,000 less damage than homeowners who don't, according to a 15-year study done by the Scottsdale Fire Department. Once sprinklers were triggered, they stopped fires 93 percent of the time."
Read the rest of the article here.
What I found interesting in the article was the line where it says "according to a survey of two large insurance companies, the discounts would take years to equal the extra cost."
The interesting fact is that adding fire sprinklers to a residence is one of the only, if not only, additions that you can make to your house that will pay you back. Even if it's over a long period of time, you will save money. Nearly everything else in your house can depreciate over time. Sprinklers actually save you money on insurance payments - which is like money in the bank.
If you need a fire sprinkler system installed in your house, you can find a company through ConstructionDeal.com. Our network of sprinkler companies will call you to bid on the job, which save you plenty of time from searching at random in the phone book. And multiple bids means you may also save money. It's a free service and we're waiting to help on any residential or commercial job.
Labels: Fire Sprinkler News
Fire Sprinklers Could Have Prevented Charleston Tragedy
Wednesday
On Monday, June 18th, all of the news channels were covering the warehouse furniture store fire down in Charleston, South Carolina, that took the lives of nine brave firefighters.This was, yet again, another instance where a fire sprinkler system could have protected the people fighting the fire. The sprinklers would have activated as soon as the fire started and cut down or even eliminated the work that needed to be done.
Instead, we're faced with a tragedy.
From EarthTimes.org: "An installed automatic fire sprinkler system would have saved lives in a furniture store and warehouse inferno that occurred in Charleston, SC on June 18. Fueled by combustible stored materials, the uncontrolled fire spread quickly through the unsprinklered building, apparently undermining the structure and leading to a roof collapse. Nine firefighters died battling the blaze. According to the non-profit American Fire Sprinkler Association (AFSA), sprinklers would have controlled the fire, had they been installed in the building."
You can also read an article on CNN about this tragic event. There is also one up on Bloomberg, detailing the account.
If your business is in need of fire sprinklers, you can find a local company to inspect the site and let you know what is required. Post your request for free and we'll match you with a professional who can help prevent another tragedy.
(Photo courtesy of CNN.com)
Labels: Fire Dangers, Fire Safety News
Fire Sprinkler Recall Notice
The following recall was announced by the associated press on June 12, 2007:
About 300,000 Globe Model J Series dry fire sprinklers, manufactured by Globe Fire Sprinkler Corp., because the heads can deteriorate and fail to work during a fire. The company has received five reports of sprinklers failing to work during a fire.
Details: by phone at 800-248-0278; by web at http://www.globesprinkler.com or http://www.cpsc.gov.
Labels: Fire Sprinkler News
Fire Safety: Mattress Law More Harm Than Good?
Friday
Many people consider laws that require fire sprinklers in all residential buildings think this sort of legislation is unnecessary. When they face stiff resistance, they're forced to enact other laws that seem good on paper, but don't consider the repercussions. For example, in this article from NewsReview.com (below) there is a federal law in place that focuses on the combustibility of the mattress. Each year, many people die from fires in bed that are generally caused by cigarettes and candles.Instead of requiring that homes be fitted with sprinklers, the federal government has chosen to introduce a law that will require that the mattress industry make their products nearly inflammable. The problem is that the legislation will force many mattress manufacturers to introduce dangerous or even deadly chemicals in their product:
"Richard Lash has been preparing to meet the blowtorch test. When July 1 comes around, he'll be ready.
Lash is the co-owner of Square Deal Mattress Factory, Chico's vaunted micro-manufacturer of quality mattresses. For some time, he has known that a new federal law governing mattresses' combustibility will go into effect next month.
The law will require all mattresses to withstand an open flame from two blowtorches for two minutes without bursting into flame and to stay below a certain temperature for 30 minutes.
There have been mandatory fire regulations regarding cigarettes and mattresses for more than 30 years ... but blowtorches? Now, that's a tall order.
The good news is the law is expected to save about 270 lives a year. The bad news is it will force millions of Americans to sleep on beds that could be covered with toxic flame-retardant chemicals. That includes babies sleeping on crib mattresses.
Many larger mattress manufacturers are coating their materials with chemicals such as formaldehyde, boric acid, antimony and fiberglass in order to meet the new codes.
'I don't think any of them are particularly good for you,' said Dr. Gary Incaudo, a Chico allergist. 'I just worry about mattresses because it's right up against your face for a really long time.'"
You can read the rest of the article here. It's obvious that a complete fire sprinkler system would protect not only those sleeping on their beds at night but everyone in every other part of the house as well -- without harsh and nasty chemicals. It's like putting a Band-Aid on a very harsh and serious wound.
The law goes into effect on July 1st of 2007.
* photo - CPSC
