U.S. Fire Administration

Home Fire Protection

Residential Fire Sprinkler Systems Save Lives

FA-43/February 2008
2 Home Fire Protection Residential Fire Sprinkler Systems

Sprinkler Systems in Industry

Schools, office buildings, factories, and other commercial buildings have benefited from fire protection 

sprinkler systems for over a century. To protect investments in buildings and machinery, the textile mills in 

New England began using sprinkler systems over 100 

years ago following a series of devastating fires that 

claimed many lives and destroyed entire businesses.

Sprinklers in Homes

But what about our homes? Although we protect 

our businesses, what actions do we take to protect 

our families, our homes, and our possessions from 

fire? Millions of Americans have installed smoke 

alarms in their homes in the past few decades, but 

a smoke alarm can only alert the occupants to a fire 

in the house...it cannot contain or extinguish a fire. 

Residential sprinkler systems can!

Sprinklers —The Solution

Fires in residences have taken a high toll of life and 

property. In 2006 there were

➤ 412,500 residential fires;

➤ 2,620 civilian fire deaths;

➤ 12,925 civilian fire injuries; and

➤ over $7 billion in property damage.

Data Source: “Fire Loss in the U.S. During 2006,” NFPA

Studies by the Federal Emergency Management 

Agency’s (FEMA) U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) 

indicate that the installation of residential fire sprinkler 

systems could have saved thousands of lives, prevented 

a large percentage of those injuries, and eliminated 

hundreds of millions of dollars in property losses.

Advantages of Newly Designed 

Home Sprinkler Systems

Fast Response

Residential sprinklers listed by Underwriters 

Laboratories (UL) are now available. They are 

designed to respond to a fire much faster than currently available standard commercial and industrial 

sprinkler systems. The new home sprinklers react 

automatically to fires more quickly because of their 

improved sensitivity.

Low Cost

At the present time, cost of a home sprinkler system is 

targeted at approximately $1.00 to $1.50 per square 

foot in new construction. It is hoped that the cost will 

decrease as the use of home fire protection grows. It 

is also possible to retrofit existing homes with sprinkler systems.

Small Size

For residential systems, the sprinklers will be smaller than 

traditional, commercial, and industrial sprinklers, and 

can be aesthetically coordinated with any room decor. 

Sprinklers can be installed flush with walls and ceilings.

Minimal Installation Work

When homes are under construction or being remodeled, a home sprinkler system will require minimal 

extra piping and labor. Typically, systems are concealed above ceilings and in the walls.

Low Water Requirement

These systems will require less water than the systems 

installed in industrial or commercial establishments 

and can be connected to the domestic water supply.

Piping Requirements

The use of plastic pipe has brought down the cost of 

installation in new construction and the retrofit of 

existing dwellings.

A Growing Number of Communities 

Promote Home Fire Sprinklers

The following communities represent a cross-section 

of jurisdictions that have adopted residential sprinkler ordinances. For a more complete list, refer to the 

Residential Fire Safety Institute (RFSI) Web site at 

www.firesafehome.org

➤ Scottsdale, AZ;

➤ Cobb County, GA;

➤ Prince George’s County, MD;

➤ Livermore, CA;

➤ Long Grove, IL;

➤ Chapel Hill, NC;

➤ Germantown, TN; and

➤ Altamonte Springs, FL.
3

Test Your Home Sprinkler System I.Q.

Here are five statements about home sprinkler systems. 

Are they true or false?

1. When one sprinkler goes off, all the sprinklers 

activate.

False! Only the sprinkler over the fire will activate. 

The sprinkler heads react to temperatures in each 

room individually. Ninety percent of fires are contained by the operation of one sprinkler.

2. A sprinkler could accidentally go off, causing 

severe water damage to a home.

False! Records compiled for well over 50 years 

prove the likelihood of this occurring is very 

remote. Furthermore, home sprinklers are 

designed specifically and tested rigorously to minimize such accidents.

3. Water damage from a sprinkler system will be 

more extensive than fire damage.

False! The sprinkler system will limit a fire’s 

growth severely. Therefore, damage from a home 

sprinkler system will be much less than the smoke 

and fire damage if the fire had gone on unabated, 

or less than the water damage caused by water 

from firefighting hoselines.

4. Home sprinkler systems are expensive.

False! Current estimates suggest that when a home 

is under construction, a home sprinkler system 

costs approximately 1 to 1.5 percent of the total 

building price.

5. Residential sprinklers are ugly.

False! The traditional, commercial-type sprinklers 

as well as sprinklers for home use now are being 

designed to fit in with most any decor.

Sprinklers are a Good Investment 

for Homebuilders

Through the use of construction tradeoffs, homebuilders and developers can achieve reduced construction costs if residential sprinkler systems are installed.

Home sprinkler systems offer both safety and financial 

advantages to homebuyers, a rare combination.

Incentives: Who Benefits?

Developer Builder

Reduced impact fees X X

Increased density X

Reduced fire flow X

Hydrant spacing increased X

Longer access road distance X

Longer distance from fire stations X

Reduced access to building sides X

Narrower streets X

Fewer parking restrictions X

Longer cul-de-sacs X

Reduced turnaround radius X

Reduced permit fees X

Reduced or exempted plan review fees X

Reduced or exempted fees for field inspections X

Reduced fire resistance ratings, no parapet walls X

Increased distance to exits X 

Concealed sprinkler
4 Sprinklers are a Good Investment 

for the Homebuyer

➤ A fire occurs in a residential structure every 79 seconds according to the USFA. To the homebuilder, 

this fact means that a large share of potential 

customers now have knowledge of the terror and 

destruction caused by fire.

➤ Families with children, senior citizens, and handicapped members have special fire protection needs. 

Home sprinkler systems provide added protection 

for these people.

➤ In case of a home fire, firefighters will have less 

risk of injury or life loss since they will be fighting a fire of less intensity.

➤ Allocation of community resources can be 

improved with the adoption of home sprinkler 

technology.

➤ Communities will be able to make better use of 

available land and thereby increase their tax base.

Insurance Discount

Insurance from homeowner underwriters will vary, 

depending on type of coverage. The discounts now 

range between 5 and 15 percent, with a projected 

increase in available discounts.

The Move Toward Home 

Sprinkler Systems

The USFA’s research in home fire sprinkler systems 

successfully focused on systems that would be low 

cost, fast acting, and reliable. As a result, residential 

fire sprinklers have gained increased acceptance.

In November 1980, the National Fire Protection 

Association (NFPA) adopted NFPA 13D, Standard for 

the Installation of Sprinkler Systems in One- and Two-Family 

Dwellings and Manufactured Homes. The Standard is based on 

technical data from the comprehensive full-scale fire 

tests that were sponsored by the USFA.

Residential Sprinkler Program

Dedicated to reducing this Nation’s staggering loss of 

life and property caused by fire, the USFA has joined 

with private industry and the fire service to advance 

the development of residential sprinklers. Since 1976, 

the USFA has promoted research studies, development 

and testing, and demonstrations of residential sprinkler systems.

Working with the USFA are

American Fire Sprinkler Association

Center for Campus Fire Safety

Consumer Product Safety Commission

Factory Mutual Research

Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition

Home Safety Council

International Association of Fire Chiefs

Lubrizol Advanced Materials, Inc.

NIST/Center for Fire Research

National Association of State Fire Marshals

National Electrical Manufacturers Association

National Fire Protection Association

National Fire Sprinkler Association

Operation Life Safety

Polyurethane Foam Association

Residential Fire Safety Institute

Sleep Products Safety Council

Society of Fire Protection Engineers

Tyco

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development 

(HUD)

Underwriters Laboratories, Inc.

University of Maryland

Uponor/Wirsbo

Worcester Polytechnic Institute, and many others

For more information or copies 

of this publication, please contact:

U.S. Fire Administration 

16825 South Seton Avenue 

Emmitsburg, Maryland 21727 

800-561-3356 

www.usfa.dhs.gov

FA-43/February 2008