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Dumping The Water Sprinkler Burden

By
Real Estate Agent with Keller Williams Real Estate RS301772

A new law would require all new homes built in PA to have water sprinkler systems installed. Supposedly this new, expensive mandate will save lives but the National Incident Reporting System confirms that the use of hard-wired smoke detectors alone will prevent over 99% of all fire deaths.

I just sent email to Representative Mike Peifer and Senator Lisa Baker, asking them to PLEASE schedule HB 1196 and HB 60 for a concurrence vote on Monday, November 15th.

HB 1196 extends the 2006 UCC and removes the sprinkler mandate on all new construction starting in January, 2011. Installing sprinklers is an extremely expensive and unnecessary method of preventing fire deaths and one that Pennsylvanians don't want.

It will add from $5,000 to up to $10,000 to the cost of building a home. This is a decision that should be left up to the homeowner. I can see requiring this in townhouses/condos, duplexes, and multi family homes, but not for single family residential homes.

The Housing Trust Fund (HB 60) gives Pennsylvania the opportunity to take advantage of federal stimulus funds to find solutions to affordable housing issues without additional taxes.

Using Housing Trust Funds will help rebuild the state's economy by putting properties back on the tax rolls and increasing property values, which in turn will help stabilize communities.

Please contact your legislative representatives and urge them VOTE YES to HB 1196 and HB 60 and help keep housing affordable in Pennsylvania.

PA GENERAL ASSEMBLY: CLICK HERE TO CONTACT YOUR PA REPRESENTATIVES.

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Karen Rice (that's me!) lists & sells in Tanglwood, Wallenpaupack Lake Estates, Hideout, Indian Rocks, Masthope, Fawn Lake, Tink Wig, Woodland Hills, Walker Lake, Hemlock Farms, & more in Pike & Wayne County.

Comments (7)

Wallace S. Gibson, CPM
Gibson Management Group, Ltd. - Charlottesville, VA
LandlordWhisperer

I suspect the use of BATTERY OPERATED smoke detectors with the batteries changed 2X annually will save EVEN MORE lives.  When a fire does break out, the fire department CUTS the power to the building which will STOP the operation of a hard-wired smoke alarm.

Nov 12, 2010 10:35 PM
Karen Rice Keller Williams Real Est
Keller Williams Real Estate - Hawley, PA
Northeast PA & Lake Wallenpaupack Home Sales

If the fire department cuts the electricity is there a need for the alarm to sound?

At any rate, battery back ups are an excellent idea for all smoke detector systems - fires do break out when there are power outages as well.

Nov 12, 2010 10:41 PM
Lenn Harley
Lenn Harley, Homefinders.com, MD & VA Homes and Real Estate - Leesburg, VA
Real Estate Broker - Virginia & Maryland

GOT A FIRE and have a smoke alarm?  Heed the smoke alarm blasts.

GOT A FIRE and have a sprinkler system?  Heed the smoke alarm blasts and watch your furniture, walls, floors and all other personal property TOTALLY DESTROYED BY THE SPRINKLER SYSTEM.

Supposedly this new, expensive mandate will save lives

All this does is add about $5,000 to $10,000 to the cost of a new home, present failure risks for the plumbing required. 

I've seen these things in action and they are just an example of more government intervention where none was needed. 

Nov 12, 2010 11:05 PM
Karen Rice Keller Williams Real Est
Keller Williams Real Estate - Hawley, PA
Northeast PA & Lake Wallenpaupack Home Sales

AMEN Lenn.  I can only assume that water sprinker businesses have powerful friends in Harrisburg. 

Nov 12, 2010 11:45 PM
Lenn Harley
Lenn Harley, Homefinders.com, MD & VA Homes and Real Estate - Leesburg, VA
Real Estate Broker - Virginia & Maryland

HA! And in Maryland. 

Nov 13, 2010 12:49 AM
Bill Gassett
RE/MAX Executive Realty - Hopkinton, MA
Metrowest Massachusetts Real Estate

Karen the false alarms can be a very expensive proposition. Good luck with the battle!

Nov 13, 2010 01:33 AM
Not a real person
San Diego, CA

I’ll have to disagree with you and Lenn. As a home inspector, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve found smoke alarms, battery and hard-wired, that don’t work at all. With a fire suppression system (when I read “sprinkler” I was thinking of irrigation sprinklers), there is nothing for the home owner to do or not do. It simply works when needed.

$5,000 to $10,000 added to the cost of the home is nothing when amortized over 30 years and considering that more lives and property will be saved.

As to Lenn’s comment about water damage, I would think water damage is far better than destruction of the whole home as far as inconvenience goes. Hopefully, one has homeowner’s insurance that will pay for the damage, but again it’s a matter of inconvenience, and death is certainly inconvenient.

And as to Wallace's comment, hard-wired systems usually have battery backup. Of course, that precludes that the homeowner checks the battery occasionally.....

Nov 18, 2010 12:48 PM