Buffalo Grove Officials Debate Home Fire Sprinklers

A proposal to require sprinkler systems in new single-family homes received mixed reviews from Buffalo Grove trustees Monday night.

Under a suggestion by village staff — and supported by the Buffalo Grove Fire Chief Terry Vavra — sprinklers would be mandated for new construction, but optional for home additions.

At an estimated $2.50 per square foot, sprinklers could add about $12,000 onto the cost of a 3,000-square-foot home with a full basement, officials said during a committee of the whole meeting.

“It’s a considerable amount of money to place on the homeowner,” said Trustee Steve Trilling, who wondered whether the added price would make Buffalo Grove’s housing market less competitive.

“It’s a lot of money, but people spend that much money on their countertop,” Vavra replied. “How much would you pay for carpeting in that same house?” 

And, he added, “Your insurance rates will go down dramatically with a sprinkler system installed.”

The discussion followed an outdoor demonstration by firefighters who showed the size of the fire and the damage it caused in rooms with and without a sprinkler. Whereas the fire was quickly under control in the room with the sprinkler, in the room without the device, the fire grew exponentially, with flames rising two feet off the ground and reaching 1,000 degrees by the time it was extinguished by a fire crew.

“The sprinkler system keeps the fire from growing,” Vavra said. While it’s likely that most homes will never have a fire, “the fact of the matter is, you protect against the worst case scenario.”

“My job is to minimize the risk to these people,” Vavra said.

Trustee Beverly Sussman expressed support for home sprinklers, which the village already requires in multi-family residences and commercial buildings.

“It’s a very miniscule amount of money for what you get for your money,” she said.

But Trustee Jeff Berman said that the village shouldn’t tell residents how to spend their money. He said he will need more information before he’ll be ready to vote on the matter. 

“It’s easy to say it’s for the children, it saves lives, it’s for public safety,” he said. “When is it justified to reach into people’s lives and their homes and tell them what to do?”

Should sprinklers be standard in new home construction, or should the village leave the decision up to buyers? Would a sprinkler system be worth the cost to you? Tell us in the comment section below.

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