New Building Construction and Safety and Life Safety codes issued by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) for 2006 are requiring the addition of sprinklers in all new single-family homes and duplexes, as well as nightclubs with a capacity of 100 people or more.
According to NFPA statistics, 301,500 fires occurred in one- and two-unit buildings last year, killing 2,680 people and causing $5 billion worth of damage. In addition, Gary Keith, vice president of building and life safety, added that most people who die in fires die in their own homes, and that the awareness created through smoke alarm programs and public education has plateaued.
Despite those numbers, some homebuilders are planning to oppose the requirement because they say it will raise the price of a home from $4,000 to $10,000 each and, therefore, put new homes out of reach for young and first-time buyers.
Designed to quickly douse a flame as it begins, residential sprinklers pump about 10 gallons of water per minute to help slow the spread of fires until firefighters can arrive.
