January 1, 2011, is rapidly approaching. That’s the date new legislation takes effect in Pennsylvania that requires sprinkler systems in all newly built single-family homes. Sprinkler systems have already been required in new multi family homes, as part of the building code effective since January 1, 2010.

A recent article in Builder Online profiled Excel Homes and our readiness for the change. The article takes a look at Excel’s partnership with fire-protection firm F.E. Moran, with whom we’ve teamed up to stay ahead of the new requirement by installing sprinkler systems in new modular homes months before the new legislation kicks in.

The Builder Online article discusses how the Excel sprinkler systems are installed (“mostly installed at Excel’s factory, with Moran providing the finishing touches to the system and ensuring it’s installed and working properly once Excel’s modules are positioned on the jobsite”). It also reviews the benefits of the program (“no additional cost to the builder, and the installation itself is simplified because much of the plumbing is already done in the factory”).

Overall, the article is a good look at the changes heading our way, and a must-read for anyone involved in he construction of single-family homes. For more information on Excel’s turn key sprinkler option, check out the “Programs” listed on Excel’s website.

Recently, the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code Review and Advisory Council voted to mandate the placement of sprinklers in all new one- and two-family residences and townhomes built in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania beginning January 1, 2011. Good thing builders have a little over a year to get ready, right?

While waiting until the last minute might be an option for some builders, it’s not an option for Excel. Instead, the team at Excel Homes has decided to start installing sprinkler systems a little earlier. In fact, we’re going to start right now.

Beginning today, all Excel Homes will include an optional sprinkler system designed to protect a homeowner’s investment and make each home a lot safer. Of course, for now, these sprinkler systems are only optional. But after January 1, 2011, they’ll be mandatory in Pennsylvania (and soon thereafter in many other states). The good news is, that by the time that deadline rolls around, the Excel team is ready.

Our enthusiasm for the new sprinkler law should come as no surprise there many reasons to support the use of sprinkler systems, here are just a few.

• According to the National Fire Sprinkler Association, the addition of sprinklers to homes could prevent more than 3,000 fire-related deaths and 60,000 serious fire-related injuries each year in the United States.
• The typical home fire can reach deadly proportions in just three minutes, while in many cases, it may take 10 or more minutes for the first fire truck to arrive. With a sprinkler system, the fire can be controlled or even extinguished before loss of lives or property.
• The average damage from a fire in a house with a sprinkler system is less than $2,000, compared to more than $17,000 in damage in homes without sprinkler systems.
• In addition to the peace of mind that having a sprinkler system can provide, sprinkler systems also decrease insurance costs and increase a home’s value.

For more information about Excel’s sprinkler system program, check out the brochure on our website.

The safety of modular homes is well known. Independent tests on homes in hurricane stricken areas have proven that modular dwellings stand up to the forces of Mother Nature better than stick-built homes, mainly because of the additional materials used in modular construction to help the home remain strong during the transport process.

Now, the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) is taking steps to make modular homes – actually, all homes – safer by requiring all new homes to be built with fire sprinkler systems beginning in the year 2011.

These safety requirements are nothing new. Over the years, there have been many upgrades in the residential construction process designed to make homes more fire safe. Circuit breakers replaced fuse boxes. Fire separation walls were mandated between garages and homes. All of these requirements are put in place to make families safer.

According to a news release announcing the sprinkler requirement, the new mandate “could prevent more than 3,000 fire-related deaths and 60,000 serious fire-related injuries across the nation each year.” Firefighters are main proponents of the new law, and understandably so. They’re the ones who see, first-hand, the devastating effects of residential fires, and they’re the ones risking their lives to minimize those effects.

But how will these sprinkler systems affect the cost of new homes? That’s the question on the minds of builders and homeowners. Some estimates claim the safety upgrade could cost $5,000 for a 2,000 square foot home and as much as $20,000 for rural homes not connected to public water supplies. For some, it’s a small price to pay for peace of mind and what could be a break in homeowners’ insurance costs.

And for those concerned that a smoking pizza in the oven will set off the sprinkler system the same way it sets off the smoke detector, fear not. Sprinkler systems are triggered by heat, not smoke, which means dinner may be ruined, but your furniture will stay dry.