A friend of mine installed sprinklers in his home only to be told he had to add a second water feed in addition to the 1" line he had installed anticipating the sprinkler demand. The local water supplier feels that all home with residential sprinklers must have separate water lines from the street just like any other commercial building. Their logic seems based on wanting to be able to shut off the water for nonpayment without shutting off the sprinklers. The local fire chief went to a water board meeting and seems to feel he would rather they not install residential sprinklers if he can't have separate lines and shut off valves to the street. Seems like a strange way to support life safety. Many towns in MA and RI are taking the same approach, thus forcing owners to abandon the idea or shell out extra money for a tank. They don't seem to have an issue with shutting the electricity off and killing the tank and pump but it is not OK to shut off the water.
Dave Canham Fire Systems Solutions -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Ryan J. Smith Sent: Wednesday, June 18, 2008 4:27 PM To: [email protected] Subject: RE: Residential water lines and meters for fire sprinkler systems Thank you to everyone that has shared their experience on this. Educating and "negotiating" with these water purveyors who are applying excessive hook-up fees for "fund raising" is going to be critical for public support in communities where this is a problem. I echo Steve's comment that "public education will win out in the end," but public education alone is a very slow process when it comes to prevention. Most people just don't make prevention a priority until after something happens to them. I hope everyone is doing what they can to encourage their local voting government officials to vote for residential fire sprinkler requirements in the IRC at the final hearing this September. Until the IRC is updated, we will continue to fight an uphill battle that most homeowners don't have the willingness to engage in. I tend to be a conservative, but this is one case where I believe the government's responsibility for public safety requires legislation. Ryan J. Smith ResidentialFireSprinklers.com - Your Source for Home Fire Protection http://www.ResidentialFireSprinklers.com -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Steve Leyton Sent: Wednesday, June 18, 2008 11:16 AM To: [email protected] Subject: RE: Residential water lines and meters for fire sprinkler systems I actually have to credit the blogger - he's got a pretty egalitarian venue going there. Matthew's mail corrupted the link - it's here for cut and paste: http://www.scottprogers.com/blog/archives/2008/06/the-heated-debate-of-r esidential-fire-sprinklers_1213674275/index.php?f=1 Anyone with a couple spare moments can read through the comment thread and post their own - PUBLIC EDUCATION will win out in the end!! Steve Leyton Protection Design & Consulting -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Matthew J. Willis Sent: Wednesday, June 18, 2008 5:58 AM To: [email protected] Subject: RE: Residential water lines and meters for fire sprinkler systems http://www.scottprogers.com/blog/archives/2008/06/the-heated-debate-of-r esid ential-fire-sprinklers_1213674275/index.php?f=1 Ryan.. You made the news! :-) Matthew J. Willis Living Water Fire Protection, LLC. 1160 McKenzie Rd. PO Box 877 Cantonment, FL. 32533 850-937-1850 Voice 850-937-1852 Facsimile [EMAIL PROTECTED] ----- >On Tue, Jun 17, 2008 at 11:49 AM, Ryan J. Smith ----- ><[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: ----- >> I am engaged in a "friendly" and somewhat public ----- >debate with a realtor ----- >in ----- >> the Shenandoah Valley, Virginia area on the use ----- >residential fire ----- >sprinklers. ----- >> He has been educated by the home builders anti residential fire ----- >sprinkler ----- >> material and has been convincing others not to support ----- >the proposed ----- >code ----- >> changes to the IRC. ----- >> ----- >> The two arguments he is focusing on are: ----- >> 1. Installing a residential fire sprinkler would ----- >require different ----- >water ----- >> (more expensive) lines and water meters 2. It is difficult (or ----- >> impossible) to use a water softener in tandem ----- >with a ----- >> residential fire sprinkler system without having to ----- >add a second ----- >incoming ----- >> water line and water meter ----- >> ----- >> These concerns seem way overstated, especially the ----- >second since the ----- >water ----- >> softener could simply be installed to the domestic ----- >supply without ----- >affecting ----- >> the fire sprinkler water supply. ----- >> ----- >> Does anyone have any experience with the first concern ----- >about secondary ----- >water ----- >> lines and meters being needed? My understanding is ----- >that this would ----- >rarely ----- >> be needed only under special circumstances, but I ----- >wanted to check ----- >before ----- >> posting my rebuttal. ----- >> ----- >> Thanks, ----- >> ----- >> Ryan J. Smith ----- >> ----- >> ResidentialFireSprinklers.com - Your Voice in Home ----- >Fire Protection ----- >> http://www.ResidentialFireSprinklers.com ----- >> ----- >> ----- >> ----- >> _______________________________________________ ----- >> Sprinklerforum mailing list ----- >> [email protected] ----- >> http://lists.firesprinkler.org/mailman/listinfo/sprinklerforum ----- >> ----- >> To Unsubscribe, send an email ----- >to:[EMAIL PROTECTED] ----- >> (Put the word unsubscribe in the subject field) ----- >> ----- > ----- > ----- > ----- >-- ----- >Ron Greenman ----- >at home.... ----- >_______________________________________________ ----- >Sprinklerforum mailing list ----- >[email protected] ----- >http://lists.firesprinkler.org/mailman/listinfo/sprinklerforum ----- > ----- >To Unsubscribe, send an email ----- >to:[EMAIL PROTECTED] ----- >(Put the word unsubscribe in the subject field) ----- >_______________________________________________ ----- >Sprinklerforum mailing list ----- >[email protected] ----- >http://lists.firesprinkler.org/mailman/listinfo/sprinklerforum ----- > ----- >To Unsubscribe, send an email ----- >to:[EMAIL PROTECTED] ----- >(Put the word unsubscribe in the subject field) _______________________________________________ Sprinklerforum mailing list [email protected] http://lists.firesprinkler.org/mailman/listinfo/sprinklerforum To Unsubscribe, send an email to:[EMAIL PROTECTED] (Put the word unsubscribe in the subject field) _______________________________________________ Sprinklerforum mailing list [email protected] http://lists.firesprinkler.org/mailman/listinfo/sprinklerforum To Unsubscribe, send an email to:[EMAIL PROTECTED] (Put the word unsubscribe in the subject field) _______________________________________________ Sprinklerforum mailing list [email protected] http://lists.firesprinkler.org/mailman/listinfo/sprinklerforum To Unsubscribe, send an email to:[EMAIL PROTECTED] (Put the word unsubscribe in the subject field) _______________________________________________ Sprinklerforum mailing list [email protected] http://lists.firesprinkler.org/mailman/listinfo/sprinklerforum To Unsubscribe, send an email to:[EMAIL PROTECTED] (Put the word unsubscribe in the subject field)
