1-hour Req'd Between Riser Room & Townhouses?

7/29/2024

Imagine you have a 6-unit, true townhouse-construction building covered by the 2018 IRC under construction. It has an NFPA 13D sprinkler and a one-hour separation between units, but there is one common closet for the sprinkler riser and domestic water main. This closet is accessed only through a door on the exterior and is under the control of the landlord, not the tenant.

What is the code path to require any fire separation between that closet and the dwelling units?

There is no dog house off the side. The IRC only seems to call out separation between units, and even if you go into the IBC, it is not apparent.

Thanks in advance.

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8 Comments

Pete H

7/29/2024 06:51:10 am

Often in local codes.

Like IBC 2021 Section 902.1 will just tell you:

"Where provided, fire pump rooms and automatic sprinkler system riser rooms shall be designed with adequate space for all equipment necessary for the installation, as defined by the manufacturer, with sufficient working room around the stationary equipment. Clearances around equipment to elements of permanent construction, including other installed equipment and appliances, shall be sufficient to allow inspection, service, repair or replacement without removing such elements of permanent construction or disabling the function of a required fire-resistance-rated assembly. Fire pump and automatic sprinkler system riser rooms shall be provided with doors and unobstructed passageways large enough to allow removal of the largest piece of equipment."

And in the IBC, it ends at 902.1.4 before moving on to Section 903.

BUT if we go to a local code, like "Las Vegas and Henderson Building Code 2021", section 902 breaks to make 902.2 all about sprinkler riser rooms, including:

902.2.3 Protection
Automatic sprinkler riser rooms shall be protected from the rest of the building by 1-hour fire partitions.

---

So I'd check your local codes and ordinances. It might just be from them, it might be from an AHJ that was used to a different one.

Dan Wilder

7/29/2024 08:22:16 am

It may be considered a Fire Partition and subject to Chapter 7, 708.1-708.3 or possibly 708.4 for Supporting Construction.

Ricardo Gonzales Jr

7/29/2024 09:24:27 am

Using the IRC which requires separation between units. It's a separate unit. Not accessible by the Tenant of the living area, but by the Landlord/fire department without entering said unit.

Lauritz Rasmussen

7/29/2024 09:27:01 am

Ricardo Gonzales Jr got it exactly right. Separate unit, fire separation required.

Chad

7/29/2024 01:30:01 pm

This was my question so let me expand on why this wasn't considered as straightforward as this... I wish it was, that was my contention.

The IRC requires separation between DWELLING/TOWNHOUSE units. Its not a dwelling/townhouse unit its a ....there is no IRC definition for this this space that fits, or so it seems.

Of course, I do agree with Ricardo but its not clear enough... does anyone else agree its not?

Jack G

7/29/2024 10:59:17 am

Exactly Ricardo.
Building is IRC, all separations ( of units ) to be 2 hour, double wall.
I would expect 2 hour here also since it is not part of the townhome space. ( a matter of some additional Sheetrock )

Jerry Clark

7/29/2024 11:39:55 am

The common closet containing the sprinkler riser and domestic water main is considered a utility space. IRC Section R302.4.1 addresses the protection of penetrations through fire-resistance-rated walls. Even though this closet is not accessible from inside the dwelling units, it's crucial to ensure it doesn't compromise the fire-resistance-rated wall between units.

Todd E Wyatt

7/30/2024 07:51:16 am

Fire-resistant construction for townhouses is prescribed by IRC-2018 Section R302 Fire-Resistant Construction. The (2) conditions listed for “walls separating townhouse units are Double Walls or Common Walls.

If the “common closet for the sprinkler riser and domestic water main” is adjacent to only (1) unit, fire-resistance rated (FRR) construction is not required between it and the unit.

If it is common to (2) adjacent units, at least one of the walls between the unit and the closet would be required to be protected by FRR construction to provide the required FRR separation between units.

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1-hour Req'd Between Riser Room & Townhouses?

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