Residential Sprinkler Mandate

In an effort to keep the public informed and as educated as possible regarding life safety issues, as well as protecting individual family members and preserving assets, No-Burn will use this forum to post the latest information regarding the single family residential sprinkler mandate that will become effective in January of 2011.

Should you have any questions or comments regarding any of the information posted on the No-Burn site please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call 800-989-8577.

February 19, 2010 - TOPEKA — A day after losing on a tie vote, builders and their supporters in the state House of Representatives won a revote on a bill that would prohibit local governments from mandating fire sprinklers in homes and small apartment buildings. Read full story.

February 11, 2010 The states of Maryland, Iowa, and New Jersey have taken steps to adopt the 2009 IRC, including the fire sprinkler requirement for new one- and two-family homes and townhomes. These states have joined the other three states -- California, New Hampshire, and Pennsylvania -- for a total of six states recognizing the importance of this safety feature as necessary to protect the lives of the people in their communities against the ravages of fire. Read full story.

February 10, 2010 Shelbyville Times-Gazette

Bedford County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday night approved placing the rural portion of the county under the 2009 International Building Code and the 2009 Residential Code, but exempted the county from the portion of the code which requires fire protection sprinklers in new one-family and two-family dwellings. Read full story.

January 13, 2010 - California adopted building code changes that will require all new one- and two-family homes and townhouses built in the state starting January 1, 2011, to be equipped with life-saving fire sprinkler systems. The California State Building Standards Commission voted unanimously by a margin of 10-0 in favor of adopting the 2010 California Residential Code, which includes the 2009 International Residential Code as established by the Code Council in September 2008... click to continue

December 20th, 2009 by Residential Fire Sprinklers .com

On Friday, December 11, the New Hampshire State Code Review Board voted in the majority to adopt the International Residential Code 2009 edition, including townhouse automatic fire sprinkler systems and one- and two-family dwellings automatic fire sprinkler systems; effective April 1, 2012. The New Hampshire Home Builders Association Representative, John Starr spoke vehemently against adoption while the New Hampshire Fire Chiefs’ Representatives Chief Corey Landry and Local Fire Marshal Michael Hoisington countered every negative remark in a passionate and professional manner. There was widespread support from the Board of Architects, Board of Engineers, New Hampshire Building Officials Association, Board of Licensing and Regulations of Plumbers, and the New Hampshire Plumbing & Mechanical Contractors Association.

http://www.residentialfiresprinklers.com/blog/new-hampshire-adopting-2009-irc-with-the-residential-fire-sprinkler-requirement/

December 11th, 2009 by George L. Church, Jr.

The last hurdle from the Independent Regulatory Review Commission came yesterday, as they recommended to Pennsylvania’s Department of Labor & Industry that the new International Residential Code be placed in effect 1\1\10 WITH NO RESTRICTIONS OMITTING SPRINKLERS.

http://www.residentialfiresprinklers.com/blog/pennsylvania-adopting-2009-irc-with-the-residential-fire-sprinkler-requirement/

Letters to the Editor: Costly Fire Sprinklers Aren't Needed
http://www.nbnnews.com/NBN/issues/2009-11-09/housing+forum/index.html

NAHB Loses First Vote on Fire Sprinkler Mandate
Two NAHB proposals that would have removed requirements for fire sprinkler systems in one- and two-family homes from the 2012 International Residential Code (IRC) lost the first battle last week when the Residential Building and Energy Committee voted seven to four to keep this mandate in the main body of the code. http://www.nbnnews.com/NBN/issues/2009-11-02/codes+and+standards/index.html

November 2, 2009 - Calling it a critical step toward reducing deaths and destruction caused by home fires, National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) President James M. Shannon applauded the recent vote by the International Code Council (ICC) to retain the code provision in the next edition of the International Residential Code (IRC) that all new one- and two-family homes to be equipped with home fire sprinklers. The 2009 IRC included this provision for the first time. Proposals were then submitted to remove the requirement for the next edition and have now been voted down. NFPA supplied testimony for support of the provision at the hearing prior to the vote. http://ow.ly/15YZnJ

Communities with home fire sprinkler requirements http://firesprinklerinitiative.org/cities/index.php?p=statelist&PHPSESSID=kpu25utjj6e1k4vc5npe3hctr6

Residential Fire Sprinklers.com - continue to follow updates by reading blogs and information posted about the residential sprinkler mandate. http://www.residentialfiresprinklers.com/blog/

Home Fire Sprinkler System Requirement Consideration Moving Forward in Virginia http://www.residentialfiresprinklers.com/blog/home-fire-sprinkler-system-requirement-consideration-moving-forward-in-virginia/

Missouri Home Builders Reach Compromise with State Fire Marshal- Governor Jay Nixon recently signed into law that certain homebuilders will be required to offer to any purchaser of a new home, prior to entering into contract, the option to install or equip their home with a fire sprinkler system at the purchaser's cost. Missouri is the fifth state to reiterate that the decision to require sprinklers in new construction should not be mandated by the state and that it is ultimately the homeowners right to determine for themselves whether or not to install residential sprinklers. 7/15/2009 www.nahb.org

Texas Senate Bill Signed into Law - Governor Rick Perry signed the fire sprinkler bill into law today which will prohibit any jurisdiction, city or municipality that adopts the 2009 International Residential Code from requiring home owners to install residential fire sprinklers in one- or two- family dwellings. In addition, the bill would provide any homeowner who elects to install a residential sprinkler system in their home to able to allow plumbers to perform the work. 6/22/2009 www.nahb.org

- Congratulations to both North Dakota and Idaho on becoming the first states to pass legislation that would prohibit the state building code or building codes adopted at the local level from mandating residential fire sprinklers in one- and two- family dwellings. As written, home buyers will continue to decide for themselves whether or not they need to installresidential sprinklers in their newly built residences. 5/8/2009 www.nahb.org

http://www.nfpa.org/newsReleaseDetails.asp?categoryid=488&itemId=42956&cookie%5Ftest=1

http://www.builderonline.com/building-codes/several-states-weighing-laws-to-block-mandated-sprinkler-codes.aspx?cid=BLDR090324002

http://www.firesprinklerinitiative.org/itemDetail.asp?categoryID=66&itemID=1100&URL=Featured%20Resources%20/%20

http://implode-explode.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=257432

http://www.nbnnews.com/NBN/issues/2008-09-22/Front+Page/5.html

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