As of January first, all new homes built in Pennsylvania must install a sprinkler system.
Fire officials said that will make homes safer, but many home builders in our area are against it. Monday afternoon some of them joined a conference call to plan a strategy to fight the sprinkler regulation.
Builders like Joe Peterson are leading the fight against the new law. He said homeowners should be given a choice, not be told to install the sprinklers.
"The general consensus of the people we talked to is they don't want it. They think it's something that's not necessary," said Peterson.
He added costs to install the sprinklers could range anywhere from $4,000 to $20,000.
He said in the 17,000 homes his company has built, not one customer ever requested a sprinkler system. Peterson said smoke and fire alarms are sufficient, and calls sprinklers a solution to a problem that does not exist.
"The housing industry is a mess right now. We have other issues, appraisals, unemployment. Dealing with this is just one more to drive this industry into the ground," Peterson said.
Fire officials said they welcome sprinklers in all buildings because they've seen first hand how sprinklers can not only cut back on property damage, but also save lives.
"Years ago one of our members built a home, installed his home, he did have a fire in his garage, knocked the sprinkler down saved their lives upstairs and a lot of property damage," said Wilkes-Barre Township Fire Chief John Yuknavich.
While many firefighters also support the new home sprinkler law, Peterson said he and other builders are working to have it repealed and he encourages others who feel the same to contact their local lawmakers.
Fire officials said that will make homes safer, but many home builders in our area are against it. Monday afternoon some of them joined a conference call to plan a strategy to fight the sprinkler regulation.
Builders like Joe Peterson are leading the fight against the new law. He said homeowners should be given a choice, not be told to install the sprinklers.
"The general consensus of the people we talked to is they don't want it. They think it's something that's not necessary," said Peterson.
He added costs to install the sprinklers could range anywhere from $4,000 to $20,000.
He said in the 17,000 homes his company has built, not one customer ever requested a sprinkler system. Peterson said smoke and fire alarms are sufficient, and calls sprinklers a solution to a problem that does not exist.
"The housing industry is a mess right now. We have other issues, appraisals, unemployment. Dealing with this is just one more to drive this industry into the ground," Peterson said.
Fire officials said they welcome sprinklers in all buildings because they've seen first hand how sprinklers can not only cut back on property damage, but also save lives.
"Years ago one of our members built a home, installed his home, he did have a fire in his garage, knocked the sprinkler down saved their lives upstairs and a lot of property damage," said Wilkes-Barre Township Fire Chief John Yuknavich.
While many firefighters also support the new home sprinkler law, Peterson said he and other builders are working to have it repealed and he encourages others who feel the same to contact their local lawmakers.
