New Sprinkler Legislation Passes in New York

It would make sense that if you are renting or leasing a home, or at least thinking about doing so, you know whether or not the building you are looking at has a fire sprinkler system. This was not true in New York until this month, when Governor Andrew Cuomo signed legislation that will require new leases to detail, in BOLD print, whether or not the tenant will be protected by a fire sprinkler system.

This news comes on the heels of New York State’s Association of Fire Chiefs calling for the New York State Code Council to operate on the 2009 edition of the International Residential Building Code, rather than the current 2006 edition. This 2009 version specifically requires residential sprinkler systems to be installed on new homes or renovations that cover more than 50% of the home.

Making our residences safer is always a wise choice, and this new legislation will certainly benefit those who live in New York. The timing couldn’t be much better either, as many colleges are beginning to kick off their fall semesters.

Whether mandated by law or not, as the residential housing market gains some momentum, it is not uncommon to see 13D residential systems become more commonplace.  The reasons for NOT installing them in new homes are quickly becoming outnumbered by the reasons FOR installing them.  The costs of a properly designed and installed system in a newly constructed home is relatively inexpensive, and compares well to the costs of designed landscaping or specialty upgrades such as saunas or swimming pools.  Many people would also qualify for a reduction in their insurance premiums.  But the most important reason for installing a home sprinkler system is the most obvious – to have a system in your home which would allow the home occupants the ability to evacuate the premises in the event of a fire.  There is no debate – fire sprinklers save lives!

Steven Brown & Assoc. is a proud to be a distributor of Talco Fire’s line of 13D packaged pump systems, such as the Home Hydrant.  Conveniently built with its own 350 or 450 gallon storage tank, the Home Hydrant system has provided home sprinkler solutions while requiring minimal square footage.  Now, a homeowner can have their own water supply, reliably waiting for use, and not be dependent on a municipal water source that can be disabled or turned off when the occupants are away.  The units can fit through a standard doorway, set in place, and connected to a new residential system with minimum hassle.