MyFloridaCode.com

I agree with the bill in Florida and a similar one has also been
introduced in Georgia. 

*	I am not opposed to a prescriptive option in the code for
sprinklers but not a mandate in the code to require them. 
*	There are many places where public water is not an option and
your only source of water is a private water system, which would require
a very costly method to ensure the sprinkler system can work in times of
natural disaster when the power is off. 
*	Also as we experienced just recently here in the south we do
have freezing temperatures which makes a sprinkler in an unheated area
of the home a liability. 
*	I also don't believe the cost of maintenance and upkeep that is
necessary to keep a system operational will be performed by the typical
homeowner therefore rendering the system inoperable in the future or at
least undependable. I can't get my homeowners to replace the $2.00
battery in their smoke detectors annually. How can you realistically
expect them to maintain a sprinkler system? Are the fire marshals going
to do an annual inspection and system test like they do in commercial
buildings?

 

I believe that mandating this in housing is wrong and it should be left
to the consumer and market forces to determine the use of sprinklers. If
the cost to comply is really as low as the manufacturers say and the
insurance savings from losses are as high as claimed then the market and
the individual consumer will make the choice.

 I am not a scientists or a statistician however I have read several
studies on the issue of fire rates in residential structures. I
excerpted a few points out of a study performed in 2009. I believe if
the study had been performed using 1969 or 70 as the building age break
point as opposed the 1939 age, the data would have been even more
compelling for fire rates by building age as it would have reflected the
implementation of  modern codes on residential structures and all the
safety measures built into those codes. I believe this is lost in the
time period from 1939 to 1969. There were significant changes to the
codes, materials and methods used in residential construction during
this 30 year period. The mandates for sprinkler systems in new housing
will have a high cost and little impact on the statistics as there are
millions and millions of pre 1970's homes that are built and will
continue to have a higher incidence for fires than post 1970's housing.

 

Cooking, heating, and arson are the three leading causes of residential
fire in the United States.

 

Two building characteristics - vacancy rate and building age - were
found to significantly influence residential fire rates. The positive
relationship between vacancy rate and residential fire rates indicated
that cities with higher building vacancy experienced higher residential
fire rates. The vacancy rate was defined as the percentage of vacant
buildings. A city with 1.9% to 10.0% vacant buildings was placed in the
low risk group. The cities in the low risk group experience 0.9
residential fires per 1,000 people. A city with 10.1% to 23.4% of vacant
buildings was placed in the high risk group. The cities in the high risk
group experienced 1.6 residential fires per 1,000 people. The mean fire
rate in the high risk group was 1.8 times higher than the mean fire rate
in the low risk group.

 

Building age was defined as the percentage of building structures built
before 1939. A city which had 0.06% to 18.1% of the building constructed
before 1939 was placed in the low risk group. A city which had 18.2% to
71.35% of building constructed before 1939 was placed in the high risk
group. The cities in the high risk group experienced 1.7 residential
fires per 1,000 people. The cities in the low risk group experience 1.0
residential fire per 1,000 people. The mean fire rate in the high risk
group was 1.7 times higher than the mean fire rate in the low risk
group.

Population and Building Factors That Impact Residential Fire Rates in
Large U.S. Cities by Kai Huang

 

Michael Turner

________________________________

From: codetalk-bounces at myfloridacode.com
[mailto:codetalk-bounces at myfloridacode.com] On Behalf Of Linda Pease
Cramer
Sent: Wednesday, March 03, 2010 1:39 PM
To: codetalk at myfloridacode.com
Subject: [Florida Code Talk] Residential Sprinklers

 

 Thought you all would like to read this....

Diva 

 

 

Posted: 1:25 p.m. Wednesday, March 3, 2010

*	 

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - A House committee wants to extinguish a proposed
rule that would require fire sprinklers in many newly constructed homes.

The House Governmental Affairs Policy Committee voted unanimously
Wednesday for a bill that would block state building officials from
requiring sprinklers in new one- and two-family houses and townhouses.
The bill still must make its way through other votes.

Advocates of fire sprinklers say the devices would save the lives of
residents and firefighters, while suppressing insurance premiums.
Opponents said the rule would impose unnecessary costs on builders and
home buyers.

Rep. Debbie Mayfield, R-Vero Beach, said, "With homeowners struggling,
the last thing we need to do is add another burden to them."

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