Welcome to Stop The Fire.org! Gold Seal Master Builder is proud to be a part of such an important initiative. As a Volunteer Firefighter I have witnessed the devastation and loss experienced by the victims of fire. Whether you are a Professional in the Fire Service, home construction industry, a new home buyer, or planning a renovation, you may have some questions regarding fire sprinklers.

The number one concern I hear is that sprinklers are going to cause a flood once engaged.Hollywood has done a great job creating this myth. Often times a character in the movie engages a sprinkler head with a cigarette lighter and the next thing you know, every sprinkler head is flowing water and making a mess of things. The fact is that, in a residential system, only the sprinkler heads closest to the fire engage. Usually only one head is needed to slow the fire’s progress or completely snuff it out.

The second concern is cost. Many builders tell me that they can’t add sprinklers to their new homes because the cost is too significant and the home buyer is not willing to bear the added cost. We have found that most of the cost of installing a system in a new home is offset by the insurance reductions, when combined with a monitored alarm system. In some cases, the increased cost, when added on to a typical 25 year mortgage, is completely offset by your insurance reductions.

The third issue I often hear is that a system needs to be installed by a specialized tradesperson and the addition of the system will delay the production cycle of a new build or renovation. The fact is, a sprinkler professional of certified plumber can, in most cases, install the system during the initial rough-in stage with no more than one to two days of time on the job.

Lastly, what else can be done to make your home safer from the possible threat of fire? In Alberta, new revisions to the building code have made improvements in the building envelope, regarding the spread of fire from one home to the other. There are many simple improvements you can make in your home to increase your odds in the event of a fire. Your local Fire Department can offer great advice in this area. Some of the simple things I could recommend are:

1. Prepare and practice a home escape plan.
2. Ensure that all secondary routes of escape are clear and operable.
3. Install properly suited fire extinguishers at key points of your home.
4. TEST YOUR SMOKE ALARMS REGULARLY!

I hope everyone reading my first blog has a safe and enjoyable summer season.

Murray Pound
Vice President, Operations
Gold Seal Master Builder

This entry was posted on Tuesday, May 26th, 2009 at 3:19 pm and is filed under General. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Please leave a response of your own!