If there is one thing that has come out of all of the wildfires we have been experiencing in California the last several years is that in addition to life there are many valuables that are irreplaceable which makes some of our priorities seem strange. According to the California Fire Sprinkler Coalition “over 350,000 home fires occur every year in this country and more than 2,500 people a year die in home fires”. In speaking with many potential clients, most complain and try to avoid installing fire sprinklers in their new buildings. The main reason is the extra cost which can range from $5,000 to $20,000. Although it is a big sum of money and can put someone over their maximum project budget but in the scope of the overall project, it is usually less than 10% of the cost of the project. Maybe we need to look at fire sprinklers from a different perspective.
Buildings aren’t completely made of metal; there are a lot of other materials that go into the construction of a steel building that is not metal or fire-resistant. Not to mention your valuables, whether they are family heirlooms, antiques, or vintage cars. You have insurance for all of these, right? Fire sprinklers are like an insurance policy. Hopefully, you will never need them but when you do, you are glad you have them. All of a sudden the investment you made seems worth it. There are no guarantees but why wouldn’t you want to spend $5,000 or $20,000 if it meant saving your $75,000 car or your antiques or your priceless heirlooms?
Even though fire sprinklers by themselves do a good job of reducing loss, steel buildings in conjunction with fire sprinklers stack the odds in your favor. Since steel is not combustible it provides better fire resistance, especially when used in conjunction with drywall. Adding a sprinkler system to your steel building has multiple benefits: abatement for fire-resistant building materials, a likely decrease of fire rating, and reduction of smoke extraction requirements. Additionally, a fire sprinkler system can also reap the benefits of insurance discounts. The rates for coverage on a building with a sprinkler system generally see a 5%-10% average discount depending on the automatic fire sprinkler system installed as well as the construction type of the building.
We have primarily talked about protecting the inside from an external fire threat, such as a wildfire. The protection also works in reverse. Steel buildings can protect surrounding structures and vegetation if a fire breaks out inside the structure and slow down the spreading of the fire. Research from Rossen Reports shows that 30 years ago, 17 minutes was the estimated escape time for a house fire. Today it is down to three or four minutes. The reason, the furniture inside newer homes actually burn faster. Materials used today are mainly synthetic and burn hotter and faster than natural materials. PWS Steel significantly reduces the flammability of your structure. However, it does not make the building completely fireproof. PWS steel is a non-combustible, fire resistant material, and will not feed a fire. Keep in mind, fire codes will not distinguish among the building construction method so you will need to adhere to the same fire code requirements regardless of the material you build with.
The resistance of a steel building is a measure of its ability to withstand the effects of a fire in more ways than one.
- The ability to maintain load-bearing capacity and be resistant to collapse.
- An ability to maintain the integrity of the steel buildings element.
- The ability to provide insulation from high temperatures and resist against the transfer of excessive heat.
When you take into account the personal protection and peace of mind you can get having fire sprinklers and a PWS Steel Building, fire sprinklers reinforce the protection of your investment. Fire sprinklers save lives and reduce property loss. According to an article written by the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety, installing both smoke alarms and a fire sprinkler system reduces the risk of death in a home fire by 82 percent, relative to having neither. Modern residential sprinklers are inconspicuous and can be mounted flush with walls or ceilings. PWS Steel Buildings, build beautiful modern Steel buildings fully customized to fit your budget and needs. We have you covered from start to finish. We to it all, from designing your dream to building permits. Your PWS Steel Building is walk-in ready.