Fire sprinkler system in ecosmart house
A REHAU FIREPEX® residential fire protection system will be designed and installed in the REHAU MONTANA ecosmart house according to NFPA-13D and per instructions of the local AHJ (Authorities Having Jurisdiction). Upon approval of the local AHJ, the preferred installation method is a separately piped sprinkler system with a backflow and pressure relief valve connected inside the home at the service water supply. The system will be supplied by 1/2, 3/4 and 1 in. RAUPEX PEXa pipes routed in a similar fashion to the plumbing system. Concealed sprinkler heads, the only visible component of the fire protection system, will not detract from the interior design of the ecosmart house.
How fire sprinkler systems work
Fire sprinklers are activated by heat generated by fire. Only the sprinkler heads within close proximity to the fire will be activated, thereby preventing the fire from spreading without spraying water throughout the entire house.
Fire protection systems are not only safe, but they are also very efficient. Considering 90 percent of all home fires are contained with just a single sprinkler and that sprinkler systems typically release 85 percent less water than would be released by fire hoses, these systems can save money as well as lives.
In September 2008, the International Code Commission (ICC) approved a code mandating the installation of a fire sprinkler system in new one and two-family homes and townhouses starting in 2011. These construction guidelines have been adopted by the majority of U.S. cities, counties and states and will go a long way toward making new homes more fire-safe.