Resi Fire Sprinklers Could Soon Be Mandatory

Julie and Randy,
You are both right on the money with this issue. So much for this administration wanting to provide
affordable housing. I think if your on a limited budget and given the choice of a house with no sprinklers or not being able to afford a house due to the added cost I think the choice is clear.
Many people are on the streets because they can no longer afford their home. A SPRINKLER system will not keep them warm tonight.

First of all, the current administration has nothing to do with the Sprinkler Issue!  While I am not a fan of the current administration, I don’t think that we should push off the blame to them.  The Sprinkler issue is from the International Code Council and comes from the MOdel Residential one and two family Code panel.  Each individual State will vote on acceptance.  Many states, such as Ohio, have a Board of Building Standards which will review the 2011 Model Residential Building code and submit it to the State Government for acceptance.  In Ohio we have a State Wide Residential Building Code.  It is based on the current <odel Residential Building Code from the ICC.  The federal government and the Obama administration have had nothing to do with this code.  Most states building departments will accept the model code as written unless someone speaks up and gets it modified.  Here in Ohio, our Ohio Home Builders Association will petition the Board of Building Standards to have the Sprinkler provision removed or delayed. 

Let’s try and keep the commentary on the subject at hand and not go off on a blame game.

Jason’s first comments were about additional revenue.  I have seen no comments addressing that.

I must admit that I am not in the alarm or sprinkler business. I can see the value in sprinkers. I can not see the value in your average tract home for anyone other than the guys that put in sprinkler systems. We have mandated sprinkler systems in homes larger that 5000FT+ in Dallas (I may be off by a bit on the size number) but larger homes, ones for people with some spare income. I still dont like to have the government, local or federal tell me what I must do. I DO understand that there are building requirements that are needed for safety. I along with Texas Radio said we are concerned that in a time of a housing crisis we need to think a bit before mandating extra expenses for the average home owner. This will not help the economy in any way. Just because you mandate sprinklers does not mean that people will start to purchase houses with them. I will be good for those with used houses for sale though. The majority of our customers have no big issue with sprinklers. I as a consumer do. If you dont think that this is paid for by some fire sprinkler lobby I have some ocean front land in the dessert for you. WE NEED LESS GOVERNMENT, NOT MORE. ALWAYS, NOT SOMETIMES.

A wise and frugal government, which shall leave men free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned - this is the sum of good government.
Thomas Jefferson

Ok so let me get this straight, so far this year CEPRO has said we should think about doing solar as part of our business and now we should consider sprinklers…wouldnt that change our title from CE Pros to Jack of All trades… Ive been doing this for 15 years and it almost insults me to read this… yes many of you will have different thoughts and say its a great idea…but I would have used my accountant degree if I wanted to just do something for work… Im a CE Pro because it excites me, electronics excite me, seeing the customers face excites me…. If this is our industries outlook… “run somewhere else to make money” then why dont I just buy a bigger truck and put 35 bullets of what we “specialize” in… I mean I hate to sound like a debbie downer here but if I have to chase revenue with monitoring of sprinklers then I might as well leave this industry all together… How many times have you been on a job where the electrician (and this does not relate to all because I have many who are dear friends)volunteers to do everything he says you can do and cheaper…then you see cat5 for speaker wire… Five years ago at Cedia people would have laughed this idea off…maybe not alarm guys who already structure core business around monitoring…but def us guys who design lighting and control systems where we spend nights dreaming of ways to impress that next client… im sadened just like everyone else but the last thing I need is another Jack of All Trades running around NY with a double sided business card that looks like a takeout menu