N.J. Assembly panel passes bill requiring sprinkler systems in new homes

Your comments: N.J. Assembly panel passes bill requiring sprinkler systems in new homes

Published: Tuesday, November 22, 2011, 10:15 AM     Updated: Tuesday, November 22, 2011, 10:24 AM

 By NJ.com Staff 
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The Star-Ledger file photoA portion of a fire sprinkler is shown in this file photo. An Assembly panel approved a bill that would require sprinklers in all new homes.

A debate continued about requiring sprinklers in residential homes and if they would be worth the added cost as legislation passed an Assembly panel on Monday. The bill would direct the state Department of Community Affairs to withhold occupancy permits for new one- and two-family homes unless they are equipped with sprinkler systems similar to those required in hotels, dormitories and apartment buildings. Fire safety officials support the legislation saying sprinklers have been saving lives for 100 years and limit property damage. Opponents, though, say the requirement would add thousands of dollars to home building costs.

NJ.com users are discussing if sprinklers should be required in residential homes.

NJ.com user plk writes:

Are they crazy? They are pricing people right out of being able to build a home. And we wonder why N.J. is the most expensive place in the country to live? The politicians on this panel are just totally out of touch with reality.

If this passes and becomes law, the home building industry in NJ is dead.

NJ.com user firefox writes:

Another expense that is not needed! Smoke alarms are good enough. These legislators don't care about the additional cost this will bring to the middle class consumers. What about home insurance? Is that going to drop 50%?

NJ.com user yellow_house writes:

Read the article, folks. This is not N.J. alone doing this. This change was incorporated into the latest version of the International Building Code (IBC). I read a recent article in Fine Homebuilding that estimated the incremental cost during new construction as only a couple thousand dollars per house. Seems cheap to me compared to the cost of my family's lives. I expect that similar comments were said back when smoke detectors were required.

NJ.com user james1787 writes:

As a firefighter I am in support of this bill. Today's new homes are built with such crappy material in terms of firefighter safety. Much material today will burn through far quicker, such as floor joists or truss construction in the roof. It takes no time at all for a floor or ceiling to be rendered unsafe in a newer home. Sprinklers could definitely make a difference on making it safer for not only the homeowner but for firefighters as well.

Do you think sprinklers should be required in new homes? Respond to these and other comments byjumping directly to the comments section of the article.