How Much Does a Fire Prevention System Cost?
Last Updated: January 31, 2022
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Owning a home means that the property and everything in it is under your protection. One of the most common damages to property is fire damage. Having good fire prevention and protection systems in place can greatly reduce the risk of fire. Moreover, in the event a fire breaks out, it can reduce the damage.
There are many different options available, from the simple smoke detector to a full blown fire suppression sprinkler system. A residential sprinkler system may sound costly, but prices have come down due to recent advances in technology. In comparison, a couple thousand dollars is pretty cheap versus losing your home and all your possessions in a fire.
Average Fire Protection Costs #
One simple solution to fire prevention is having fire extinguishers readily available throughout your property. Purchasing a fire extinguisher can cost as little as $20. You want to make sure that you have at least one fire extinguisher on every floor of your house. As a general rule, every house should have at least one fire extinguisher and one fire detector on every floor. Fire detectors typically cost about $100 to $150 per device to install. There are several other types of protection and prevention available, including:
- Fire sprinkler systems
- Fire resistant wall paneling
- Heat sensors
- Fire resistant door and glass
Some of the systems are not cost effective in a residential setting. However, a commercial building should include all of the above fire prevention and protection systems.
Although typically installed in commercial and industrial settings, residential fire sprinkler systems have become cheaper thanks to some recent advances in the field. A typical residential fire sprinkler system will cost between $10 and $15 per foot to install, including materials. Commercial and industrial installations are typically much less, starting at around $6 per square foot (due to the size of the job). Naturally, the more footage involved, the cheaper the installation per square foot. Usually, a 2 story residential dwelling can be completely covered with less than 100 feet of sprinkler system.
Fire resistant wall paneling is simply two layers of 5/8" sheetrock. In commercial and industrial applications, this is a requirement around certain types of rooms. It gives a fire rating double that over a typical drywall installation. This will cost approximately $5 per square foot for installation, from drywalling to painting.
Fire resistant doors and windows are required in schools, hospitals and commercial buildings to aid in the fire resistance of the entire building. Typical residential doors have no fire protection value given to them. Most fire resistant doors guarantee a 30 minute window before the door will give way to fire. Expect to pay at least $200 for an average 6'8 x 3'0 interior fire door. Prices can exceed $700 for hardwood doors rated for up to an hour of fire protection.