Five Ways Fire Sprinklers Make Construction Easier

The benefits of fire sprinkler technology in dwellings from a safety perspective are well documented. For decades, fire sprinklers have saved lives, operating exactly when and where they need to, reducing injury, saving lives and minimising property damage. 

However, there is an impressive array of structural benefits that are too often overlooked. Specifying BlazeMaster® CPVC fire sprinkler systems at the planning stage of a new build can reduce additional costs and relax regulatory restrictions.


Let’s look at some of the ways fire sprinklers can actually improve the construction process and the experience of living in the building itself, before a single resident has even entered.

Create Space in Your Building

Modern dwellings are increasingly on the hunt for additional space. Bigger rooms, more storage and more flexibility to make a space their own. Sprinklers actually help architects to make that happen. 


In accordance with the building regulations set out in Approved Document B, the maximum allowable dimensions in a single compartment in a building fitted with sprinklers can be increased. 


This means more spacious rooms, more open plan floors (including ground floors) and more flexible living space for residents without compromising on safety.

Flexibility Between Floors

For fire escape and firefighter access, additional staircases are often required in three or four storey buildings, where egress windows are no longer acceptable. 


Approved Document B states that An additional and separate staircase is not required in dwellings over 4.5m high from the ground, as long as they are fully fitted with fire sprinklers.


This is a huge cost and space saving opportunity for new builds, limiting the requirement for large, mostly unoccupied areas made from expensive materials.

Flexibility Behind Closed Doors

An architectural trade-off in Approved Document B allows multiple benefits in the construction of care homes, particularly in the use of doors. Sprinklers negate the need for self-closing doors in care homes; in addition to this, more space can be created to increase bed capacity. 


This is major progress for an industry that urgently needs more emphasis on fire safety. Protecting vulnerable people is the primary role of sprinklers, particularly those who cannot escape building quickly or without assistance. 

Make the Most of the Space Outside

Boundary rules between sprinklered properties can be relaxed, allowing for property sizes to be extended. This is not only particularly beneficial at the new build stage but may also allow for additional benefits in years to come, during building extensions and retrofitting.

Unrestricted Routes

Planning a property’s fire escape route can put difficult but necessary restrictions on the structure’s layout.


According to Approved Document B, standards BS 9991 and BS 9999, travel distances can be extended in sprinklered buildings. This is particularly useful in apartment buildings with communal corridors which are often the most logical means of escape in an emergency situation.


BlazeMaster CPVC is also engineered with flexibility in mind. Compared to steel, CPVC has the ability to be extruded in smaller sizes, while solvent cement welding can make installation and repairs faster and simpler, even in tight spaces. 


Together with these architectural trade-offs, your next construction project with BlazeMaster CPVC will enable you to design living spaces that protect residents and provide that progressive living environment they are demanding.


Download The Orange Book for the complete guide to CPVC sprinkler specification, as well as a detailed explanation of building codes and practices.


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