The Home Builders Association has long been a strong advocate for increased home safety. The Association has supported numerous building codes that minimize the risk of residential fires and accidents in the home – hard-wired smoke alarms, arc-fault receptacles, firewall separation, etc. These new safety items have given consumers a strong return on their dollars invested. New homes today are by far the safest home ever constructed!

Residential fire sprinklers are not new. They have been around for many years. However, only a handful of home owners have chosen to install them in their homes. As in any aspect of life, one has to weigh the risks versus the costs of added protection. Consumers have resoundingly elected against installing residential fire sprinklers – less than 1% of all new homes - because the cost greatly outweighs the benefits. Fire sprinklers are available in the marketplace, but the choice should be left to an individual, not the government!

The Home Builders Association defends the right for any homeowner to install a fire sprinkler. Our industry would be happy to install a fire sprinkler system for any consumer that wants one in their new or existing homes. However, since the consumer pays for the system and has to deal with the yearly maintenance, upkeep, and other costs associated with the installation of a fire sprinkler system, the consumer should have a choice of installing or not installing fire sprinklers.

The General Assembly spoke very clearly on the residential fire sprinkler issue two years ago when they overwhelmingly voted to provide a local/state incentive package for voluntary installation of fire sprinklers. The General Assembly felt that consumer choice was the best public policy.

For several years now special interest groups have been pushing to have residential fire sprinklers mandated in every new home in America. In 2008 these special interest groups were finally successful in getting residential fire sprinklers mandated in the coming version of the building code (IRC 2009). Unless state legislation is passed to opt out of this provision of the SC building code, every new house built in South Carolina after July 2011 will be required to have fire sprinklers.

Why do we support the voluntary use of fire sprinklers in new homes?

Government mandates are unnecessary.
Why should the state government mandate fire sprinklers when consumers have consistently indicated that they do not want them? No law on recored prevents home owners from installing fire sprinklers in their home today, however, very few home owners choose to have them installed because they see sprinklers as expensive, unnecessary, and a high cost to benefit expenditure. Consumer choice is best!

Smoke detectors provide excellent protection.
The SC Building Code requires hard-wired smoke detectors in all new homes. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) reports that in the 21st century (2000-04) 65% of home fire deaths were in homes with no smoke alarms (43%), or no working smoke alarm (22%). The NFPA also reported that the chances of surviving a home fire with working smoke detectors are present is 99.45%!

Fire sprinklers are very expensive.
The actual cost quoted in SC (January 2008) is $4-$6/square foot for the installation of the sprinkler equipment alone. In addition, the cost of installing water lines, tap or water usage fees, and meters to the house to handle the increased water capacity could easily add another $3-$4 per square foot to the cost.
Total cost per house: $7,000-$21,000
Total cost to taxpayers: $210 million/year

Housing affordability will hurt.
For every $1,000 increase in the cost of a house, 25,000 low-income first-time SC home buyers will be forced out of the market. They will be forced to stay in older, less safe homes and the economy will suffer as well. The mandate also threatens a recovering SC home building industry that is expected to build 17,000 homes in 2010, which will generate $2.7 billion in income for SC residents, generate $586 million in state/local taxes, and fund 48, 552 jobs in SC this year.

Fire sprinkler debate should not focus on new homes.
If the goal is to reduce fire fatalities, the focus should be on older homes and mobile homes, not new homes. Residential fire sprinklers are more effective in the reduction of fire damage to property than they are to reducing residential fire fatalities.

Other states have rejected these mandates.
Eight other states (Alabama, South Dakota, New Mexico, Idaho, Utah, Texas, Missouri and Washington) have already passed legislation to stop mandatory fire sprinkler mandates with others expected to follow quickly. Only California, New Jersey and New Hampshire have adopted sprinklers.

 Residential Fire Sprinklers Talking Points

Action Kit Resources
The following resources are here to provide you with the information you need to know in opposing mandatory fire sprinkler requirements for one- and two-family dwellings in the IRC. The information below covers a wide range of topics from concerns about residential sprinkler systems performance, installation, cost, and the arguments made by sprinkler proponents. 

The Action Kit highlights many of the HBASC's concerns with mandates for fire sprinklers in one- and two-family dwellings and the basis for the HBASC's opposition to such adoption. It's recommended that all materials be reviewed. Additional assistance is available from HBASC at 803-771-7408.

Facts/Articles/Reports
 Facts About Fire Fatalities

 Facts About Residential Fire Sprinklers

 The Greenville Infrastructure Cost Report

 House Fire Deaths by Elliot F. Eisenberg

 Canadian Sprinkler Report

 The Economic Impact of Home Building in SC: Income, Jobs, and Taxes Generated

 The Economic Impact of Home Building in SC: Comparing Costs to Revenue for Local Governments

 Residential Fire Sprinklers Market Grown and Labor Demand Analysis

Smoke Alarm Information
 Smoke Alarms Work

Surveys
 Consumer Fire Sprinkler Survey (Executive Summary)