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What is the Best Height for Sprinkler Pipe?

7/19/2017

 
I have heard several times (often from those outside fire protection) that sprinkler pipe should be located "wherever it can fit around everything else," or something to the effect of "the sprinkler contractor will figure it out."

It is under that same mentality that mechanical and electrical engineers will complain when the fire sprinkler contractor is first to installation and they now have to redesign portions of their ductwork or conduit runs.

Is it really the sprinkler contractor's fault if no one allocates space for sprinkler pipe in the first place?

Coordination often comprises the most difficult and commonly the most overlooked part of building systems design. Ideally, where should sprinkler pipe be located above a ceiling?

I've asked a handful of designers, engineers and installers for their take on what the ideal height of sprinkler pipe is to effectively coordinate with other systems while minimizing extra pipe. While each project will vary in detail, much of the consistent thought has been to locate fire sprinkler pipe above the top plane of lay-in lights and underneath ductwork while routing to avoid can lights and slot diffusers (which tend to be deeper than lay-in light fixtures). The lower the sprinkler pipe, the less pipe required to create the drops down to each sprinkler.

In my experience (and as others have concurred), locating the pipe centerline 8-inches above the finished ceiling often works well. Under this location it is still important to avoid routing over the centerline of light fixtures, or over diffuers, deep can lights, and slot diffusers. While LED lights have helped keep the depth of lay-in fixtures to less than older fluorescents, it is still important to avoid the centerline of lights as to avoid the fixture hangers. Greater depths or conflicts with any of these elements can of course raise the centerline up to 10 or 12-inches above the finished ceiling.
Sprinkler Pipe Coordination
That being said, the ideal height of sprinkler pipe can be impacted by two other concepts: concealed space protection and seismic bracing. Where concealed spaces need to be protected (such as in combustible construction applications), it may be worthwhile to raise the pipe closer to the underside of the wood structure.

Another important consideration is when seismic bracing is required. Where there is a significant distance between the buildings' structure and the pipe, seismic bracing begins to lengthen and as a result must have greater reinforcement (larger pipe diameters for lower slenderness ratios). In these scenarios, it can be easier to shorten the bracing lengths by raising the system closer to the height of structure.

Regardless of where pipe is to be located, establishing space for sprinkler pipe early in a project is a benefit to both upfront engineers and contractors on the back end. 

What is your routing preference? Have you found any height to be more ideal than others? Feel free to comment if so.

If you've found this helpful, please consider forwarding to others who might be interested. Anyone can subscribe to these weekly posts, for free, here.

Eric P Rogers
7/21/2017 05:53:39 am

The location mentioned doesn't take into account seismic bracing for all the MEP systems above this Ip = 1.5 sprinkler piping. Many don't fully grasp that whether these systems fall under the exception, if they cause damage to the sprinkler pipe in a seismic event, then they must be

David Koopman
7/28/2017 07:53:22 am

Being from a region that does not require seismic bracing, I have to agree with 8" above the ceiling. I try to establish this and 6" off either wall in the corridors. Before BIM coordination began it was no problem, we established zones in the kick off meeting and if you left your zone creating conflicts with other trades it was your respisibility to work them out. Today with BIM and the specs being written in a way that gives the mechaical contractor free reign it's almost easier to not draw anything until everyone else is coordinated. For some reason it's always the sprinkler guy stuck re drawing the system multiple times, most times ending up very close to our original design. I understand coordination is give and take but, in today's industry the expect us to give everything.


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  • Blog
  • Forum
  • THE TOOLKIT
    • SUBMIT AN IDEA
    • BACKFLOW DATABASE*
    • CLEAN AGENT ESTIMATOR*
    • CLOUD CEILING CALCULATOR
    • DOMESTIC DEMAND*
    • FIRE FLOW CALCULATOR*
    • FIRE PUMP ANALYZER*
    • FIRE PUMP DATABASE*
    • FRICTION LOSS CALCULATOR
    • HANGER SPACER*
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    • NFPA 13 EDITION TRANSLATOR ('99-'22)*
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    • OBSTRUCTIONS AGAINST WALL*
    • PLUMBING FIXTURE COUNTS
    • QUICK RESPONSE AREA REDUCTION
    • REMOTE AREA ANALYZER*
    • SPRINKLER DATABASE*
    • SPRINKLER FLOW*
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