Don't be taken in by sprinkler myths
There are many myths about home fire sprinkler systems. Here's the truth: Sprinklers slow a fire's dangerous growth and spread, giving you and your family the time you need to safely escape and call the fire department. Although their primary role is life safety, sprinklers also protect property and your treasured belongings.

Because they react while the fire is still small, sprinklers dramatically limit the fire and smoke damage to a home. As a result of this quick response, sprinklers also put far less water on the fire, typically only 25 gallons of water per minute. When firefighters arrive several minutes after a fire has grown and spread, they typically have to put 10 times that amount of water on the fire, pumped through powerful hoses. The result is far greater damage.*

Sprinklers do not activate in response to smoke; only the high temperature of a fire will trigger the sprinkler to open. Despite what you may have seen in movies, sprinklers do not all go off at once, and burned toast or cigar smoke will not trigger a sprinkler. Home fire sprinklers can be concealed under ceiling plates and painted by the manufacturer to blend in with your décor.

Residential fire sprinkler systems are affordable. According to the nonprofit Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition (HFSC), sprinklers add about 1-1.5% to the overall cost of new construction for a system that can save your loved ones and irreplaceable family treasures. That's often less money than you would pay to upgrade your kitchen cabinets or carpeting. The cost of installation is higher when installing sprinklers as part of a renovation project.