Located in Booth #W2183 at the NAHB International Builders’ Show in Orlando next month, FBC Building Solutions of the Lubrizol Corporation will be showcasing a number of attractive options for builders who are required to install fire sprinkler systems in the homes they build — including the BlazeMaster/FlowGuard Gold Multipurpose System.

Since it was introduced to the market more than 25 years ago, BlazeMaster has become the most specified non-metallic fire sprinkler system in the world. The benefits of the system — corrosion resistance, easy installation and lower labor costs — are now available in a multipurpose design that also provides potable water distribution through high-performance FlowGuard Gold pipe and fittings.

Plumbers can completely install the BlazeMaster/FlowGuard Gold Multipurpose System, although a fire sprinkler contractor may be required by state jurisdiction requirements. Because of its dual operation, the materials used in the system can be reduced.

In those jurisdictions that allow them, BlazeMaster/FlowGuard Gold Multipurpose Systems offer a number of safety and installation benefits. Both BlazeMaster and FlowGuard Gold pipe and fittings are made from chlorinated polyvinyl chloride (CPVC), which provides superior flame and smoke properties over PEX systems. Unlike a PEX multipurpose system, the BlazeMaster/FlowGuard Gold system will not sustain burning due to its high Limiting Oxygen Index (LOI).

It is installed using a fast, easy and highly reliable solvent cement joining system. It offers the additional advantage of superior water flow, which can result in dramatic bottom-line cost savings. The internal diameter of PEX pipe is significantly smaller than similarly sized CPVC — with the internal diameter of a 1” PEX pipe actually less than the internal diameter of a 3/4” BlazeMaster pipe — because BlazeMaster pipe is manufactured to Iron Pipe Size (IPS) SDR 13.5 dimensions, which allows for increased water flow. PEX pipe, on the other hand, is manufactured to Copper Tube Size (CTS) and is in SDR 9 dimensions. 

As a result of this size difference and superior water flow, the BlazeMaster system can be used with extended coverage sprinkler heads, reducing the number of heads typically needed to cover an area. With its greater volume of water, BlazeMaster pipe also provides the opportunity to take advantage of back-to-back sprinkler head adaptor tee fittings. This can yield material and labor savings, since it’s possible to install a single CPVC pipe vertically in a shared wall between two rooms that supplies water to two sprinkler heads protecting both rooms.

As a specially listed system, BlazeMaster can be used in conjunction with more sprinkler head options, providing greater design flexibility, better coverage and potentially lower costs. Equally important, as a result of its larger internal diameter and superior hydraulics, BlazeMaster pipe can often be downsized without sacrificing water flow.

BlazeMaster and FlowGuard Gold pipe and fittings are being featured in the 2011 New American Home. They are being installed as separate systems since local code requirements do not permit the installation of a multipurpose system. (For a story in this issue of NBN on the New American Home, click here.)

Many jurisdictions do not permit multipurpose systems due to concerns about their integrity. Despite the fact that the multipurpose system design has been around for nearly 20 years, it is infrequently installed because stand-alone systems have a longer, proven record of reliability. In addition, a number of cost studies have confirmed that a BlazeMaster stand-alone system — like the one in The New American Home 2011 — results in a lower total installed cost than a multipurpose system.

For more information on the benefits of the BlazeMaster/FlowGuard Gold Multipurpose System, visit www.fbcbuildingsolutions.com or call 888-234-2436 x4477393.

Headquartered in Wickliffe, Ohio, Lubrizol is a member of the National Council of the Housing Industry — The Leading Suppliers of NAHB.

This feature is solely for educational and informational purposes. Nothing on this page should be construed as policy, an endorsement, warranty or guaranty by the National Association of Home Builders of the featured product or the product manufacturer. The National Association of Home Builders expressly disclaims any responsibility for any damages arising from the use, application or reliance on any information contained on this page.