Fire Sprinklers to Become Standard in New Homes

Fire sprinklers are set to become a standard feature in all new homes. The fire sprinkler requirement was added to the International Residential Code (IRC) last year, and it is scheduled to become effective January 1, 2011, in states that adopt the latest version of this code. Currently, 48 states use the IRC as a basis of regulating residential construction, although some states lag behind in adopting updates.

The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) had petitioned the International Code Council (ICC), which publishes the IRC, to repeal the fire sprinkler requirement, but the RBCC rejected that request by a vote of 7 to 4.

The belief of the ICC is that "people who buy new homes that comply with the IRC fire sprinkler and smoke alarm requirements can sleep peacefully knowing that their families and their homes are protected from fire," said Meri-K Appy, president of the non-profit Home Safety Council.

How do you feel about this new code? Do you feel the added cost to a new home is worth the added comfort of having sprinklers in your home, or is this just another cost that is not justified? We'd love to hear your feedback. Just click the comment link below and tell us how you feel about sprinklers being required in all new homes built starting in 2011. Your email address will not be published along with your comments or thoughts.