Sprinklers - A Safety-First Selling Proposition
Mechanical Business Magazine
Dec. 2013
By Denise Deveau
Townwood Homes will be the first builder to test the waters, so to speak, having committed to installing fire sprinklers in its newest 136-unit townhome and semi-detached home development, Mackenzie Ridge Terraces, which is currently in development. This could be one of the most significant turning points for fire sprinkler installation work since they were mandated for condominiums in April of 2010, says Marco Scorsia at Star Fire Systems in Concord, Ont.
“The condo market has been very good to us since then.”
Having been in the installation business for years, Scorsia says sprinkler systems are becoming an important selling feature for builders.
“Home buyers see it as having their own firefighter on the job 24 hours a day, seven days a week. After all, we see sprinklers in industrial buildings and offices, and even in the parking lots of buildings. Why don’t we have them in our homes where we and our children live and sleep?”
Moving quickly
Demand for residential sprinkler systems is increasing as fires spread far more quickly than in the past, says Sean Pearce, national marketing manager for the Canadian Automatic Sprinkler Association (CASA) in Markham.
“Twenty-five years ago it would take 20 minutes for a flashover to occur. That’s the point where material is heated to burning temperatures. Today the content in homes has greater potential to kill because materials are far more combustible, so flashover can take place in as little as three minutes. Sprinklers can mitigate that substantially.”
Anyone doubting the value only need to watch a controlled burn demonstration, says Ingrid McCallum, sales and marketing manager for Townwood Homes Inc. in Concord, Ont.
“You have to see a live burn demonstration to understand how quickly these fires spread. Once they start, the toxic smoke is astounding. Sprinkler systems can transform what might have been a life changing event into just an inconvenience.”
Designed for residential use
The Townwood Homes houses will be outfitted with CPVC fire sprinkler systems on all three floors, with the exception of attic spaces and garages, which will have a heat detector installed that connects to each home’s smoke alarm system. Each residential unit will have 13 to 18 sprinklers, with concealed pendants on the main floor and interior wall-mounted sprinklers on the second floor. This will help avoid vapour barrier penetration and the potential for freezing of pipes.
The incoming water supply uses a one-inch double check valve assembly with a flow switch that is connected to an external bell. All components to the double check valve transition point are copper and the system is designed to prevent possible cross-contamination of the water supply. Sprinkler installer Marco Scorsia estimates the installations will take up to a week for each townhome.
An added incentive for sprinklers in residential homes is the fact that newer systems are not only more aesthetically appealing, but also remarkably efficient, says CASA’s Sean Pearce. The market is also becoming more competitive, which means better pricing and easier maintenance. Not to mention that fact that today’s designs are much more suited for residential needs.
More coverage
Leading sprinkler head manufacturers throughout North America have invested a lot in developing lower K-factor heads that operate on lower pressure and volumes.
“K-factors are getting lower and lower every year, while still offering great coverage,” explains CASA’s Sean Pearce.
A single low-K factor residential head today can cover an area of around 144 sq. ft.
“Ten years ago you may have needed two or three to cover that,” Pearce says.
Interest is growing
Anyone interested in getting into the installation business should take note that sprinkler fitters need to be certified in order to perform installations in many jurisdictions today.
“Sprinklers are actually classified as a life safety system,” explains Sean Pearce. “Even though you’re moving water, it’s not considered to be plumbing. So ensuring you have the proper training and certification to install is critical.”
A little investment in training could go a long way given the growing concern for safety in the home. Many municipalities and insurance providers have shown interest in sprinklers as a way to reduce the damages and risks associated with fires, so residential sprinkler systems may, in time, become as common as smoke detectors.
“It’s like airbags in cars. Lee Iacocca decided to use them and everyone in the world followed suit,” Pearce says. “Sprinkler systems are starting to get the same awareness as an important safety need in people’s lives.”
Did you know?
- The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) reports there is an 80 per cent reduction in both fire deaths and fire-related injuries when sprinklers are present.
- Compared to an equivalent non-sprinklered home, damage from fire can be reduced by 95 per cent when sprinklers are in use.
- Today’s home contents burn hotter, faster and are more toxic – this combination can lead to conditions becoming fatal within two minutes of a smoke detector sounding.
- Automatic sprinklers also serve to reduce risks faced by firefighters when fighting fires in buildings constructed from lightweight engineered wood framing systems.
- Not only do fire sprinklers reduce fire and water damage, they also combat the release of toxic combustion products that result from fires.
- In Canada, there has never been a fatality in a home that has properly installed and functional fire sprinklers.
