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For multi family buildings, I am being told that for a 4-story building, normally the fire pumps are only 15HP because the standpipes are pressurized by the fire trucks.
My understanding of NFPA 20 is that it would still be required to have a correctly sized fire pump without considering the size of the pump on the local fire trucks. Is this an industry norm that is allowed by certain AHJ’s or is there code related to multi family that I am missing? Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe
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Would we still be required to conduct a forward flow test if we have a fire pump downstream and it's tested annually?
Thanks in advance. Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe I have a project that is a building 10-ft x 20-ft and is used only for electrical equipment. The building is remotely located, 10 miles from the nearest town.
Would a fire hydrant be required for such a structure? If not, what code exception would allow the omission of a hydrant? Thanks in advance. Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe We are trying to determine Fire Flow according to Annex of IFC 2022.
It says: B104.1 General The fire-flow calculation area shall be the total floor area of all floor levels within the exterior walls, and under the horizontal projections of the roof of a building, except as modified in Section B104.3. B104.2 Area Separation Portions of buildings that are separated by fire walls without openings, constructed in accordance with the International Building Code, are allowed to be considered as separate fire-flow calculation areas. Does this mean we need to add in (include) the area of basement to the floor area for Fire Flow? Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe Hello, First post for me here, thanks in advance for the assistance. In regards to the irregular room and spacing off the walls, I understand the .75 allowance up to 11'3" for the irregular or less than 90 degree wall (NFPA 13, 2019, 10.2.5.2.2). However, I have a set of plans I'm reviewing showing four rooms with only one sprinkler and they are applying this section as one wall in each room is irregular - however - the other walls are all regular 90 degree walls but they are exceeding 7'6" off those walls as well. In my interpretation, they should only be able to apply the above section for the irregular walls only, not normal 90 degree walls. In this situation I would request an additional head in each room. Am I missing something here?  Thank you.
Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe In a 15-story highrise building, can the standpipe system be zoned with an Automatic Dry in the 1st -5th floors of the unheated Parking Garage, and an Automatic Wet in the 6th- 15th floors of the heated office portion?
Are we allowed to mix types? Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe Are Saunas within dwelling units considered bathrooms?
Bathroom: within a dwelling unit, any room or compartment dedicated to personal hygiene, containing a toilet, sink, or bathing capability such as a shower or tub. Would saunas fall under the definition of bathroom, since they are dedicated to personal hygiene and contain a bathing capability? Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe When doing a Forward Flow on a Sprinkler System what is the Minimum # that Fire Marshals are looking for?
Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe This question is regarding obstructions to residential upright and pendent sprinklers.
The 2016 edition of NFPA 13, 8.10.6.1.2 (4) states that obstructions that are located against the wall and that are not over 24 inches in width shall be permitted to be protected in accordance with Figure 8.10.6.1.2(c). This is a pretty sweet rule, as basically your only concern is the sprinkler distance from the wall and not the obstruction dimensions. However, the 2016 edition of NFPA 13R does not contain this wonderful rule, even though the rest of the obstruction rules are essentially the same. Any thoughts on why the decision was made not to include this rule in NFPA 13R? Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe Can a seismic restraining strap, when used in conjunction with a C-type beam clamp, have the locknut on the clamp that's used for securing the bolt also be used to secure the seismic strap?  Any advice would be great - I'm not able to get a cutsheet for the Caddy 300 clamp and a 35 Seismic Restraining Strap. Thanks for any advice.
Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe I have an existing penthouse that has limited (no) access to the structure at the roof and requires sprinkler coverage. We have a variance from the AHJ to omit sprinklers from non accessible areas. Has anyone designed a sprinkler system supported from the floor entirely by pipe stands or pipe racks? I'm aware of the requirements of NFPA 13-16 CH 9.1.1.2.  The structural engineer on my project is not eager to get involved so alternative options especially pre-engineered options would be great. I'll push back if there aren't better options but looking for any advice.
I'm also aware of NFPA 13-22 CH 17.5 however 8-0'' tall pipe stands don't seem especially stable. Preferably I'd like a Unistrut solution a contractor can assemble in field and place as required say every 10-0'' ( see pictures) Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe I have a project where a greenhouse is being built onto the side of a hardware store to be used as a seasonal retail space occupied during the warm season only (so they say).
The greenhouse is required to be protected by a dry sprinkler system as a retail space. The greenhouse manufacturer has also indicated that it needs to be heated to prevent snow accumulation on the roof, so there are unit heaters ranging from 150 mbh to 200 mbh. Since the roof is entirely glass, I am providing intermediate temperature sprinklers throughout. With the unit heaters, I would be required to put intermediate temperature sprinklers within range of the unit heaters output. Since I am already going intermediate throughout due to solar gain, should I go high temperature at the unit heaters? I'm thinking about very cold winter day when the sun is shining, so there would be two sources of additional heat on the sprinklers. Thank you very much! Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe I have a situation where the AHJ is requiring sprinklers be installed per NFPA 13 2019 9.3.14.3. My design is based on the fact that the bottom of the clouds (suspended ceiling panels) is 0'-8" below the ACT above. There are no openings in the ACT. While the Engineers at the AHJ seem to agree with my design, they state there is not a specific exception allowing me to omit the sprinklers above the clouds. When referencing NFPA 13 2019 9.7.2, the expanded material states that historically sprinklers are allowed to be omitted from above the clouds where the cloud is less than 12" from the ceiling above. My question is, how can this be addressed with the AHJ if the scenario for omission in question is not specifically addressed in the standard?  Thanks in advance.
Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe A municipality in which we work is denying my request to eliminate sprinklers on exterior patios and balconies because of 2018 IBC paragraph 903.3.1.1.1, which states that just because one does not want sprinklers in a room or area for whatever reason if it is normally required to be sprinklered.
Then, two paragraphs later, Section 903.3.1.2.1 the code specifically addresses balconies and patios and goes on to discuss when sprinklers are required as if they are normally not required. How can I explain this? Also, the building is a highrise, I-B construction. Thanks in advance. Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe We have a project with a large dry system, installed by another contractor, in a mansard roof that froze and broke.
The insurance company has requested us to replace about 1/3 of the system that was obviously damaged but then confirm that there was no damage to the other portions of the piping and sprinklers. We have suggested replacing the balance of the pipe since a hydro test and a visual inspection is not conclusive that the integrity of some components were not compromised. The AHJ will only state they want an operable system. Any suggestions on how to proceed? Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe According to NFPA 13 2022 Section 16.9.8.2 it is to our discretion what we consider a location " where they are not subject to mechanical damage?
When installing a Post Indicator Valve, what do you consider "not subject to mechanical damage?" Where is the line drawn, so to speak? Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe Has anyone been asked to or required to provide sprinkler protection for at grade parking with PV panels overtop?
I've been looking online for what has been done in other jurisdictions but I can't find much. There is a lot of discussion about whether PV panels constitute a roof or not for parking garages, but my question is more along the lines of has there been research done to determine if the sprinklers can be expected to activate properly based on pitch/spacing? Thanks in advance. Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe Had a review comment come back and needed to clarify. I have a 14-inch city main with an 8-inch tap to a backflow in a pit. It then runs to four hydrants, and then turns into the building supplying a fire pump. The flow test at the hydrant near the tap (#1 on image below) was 49 psi static, 47 psi residual at 920 gpm. The flow test at a hydrant nearest the building (#2 on image below) was 49 psi static, 39 psi residual at 750 gpm.  The 95 psi @ 1,500 gpm pump in the building is running the underground dry. The plot curve shows 20 psi at 2,100 gpm, however the pump rep said he barely got 500 gpm at 9 pitot and had to shut it down as the gauges went below 20 psi and air was starting to come out of the 2-1/2" hose valves.
This is a mystery to us - we have five different flow tests all ranging from 750 gpm to 1,060 gpm at 40-32 psi residual. Why would the pump be pulling the underground so low? They checked all the valves and rebuilt the backflow in the pit. Water meter is good as well (per the utility department). Looking for suggestions. Thanks in advance. Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe I have an existing storage warehouse designed with ESLO-20 14.5K sprinklers @ .20/1,500 sqft per the cut sheet.
The owner is installing a "Kardex Autostore" system to 16'-0" high. The existing system calcs out, my question is has anyone designed a system for these "Autostore" systems and do they require anything above an OH2? My thought is bin box storage above 12' design criteria, what's throwing me off is the design criteria in the cut sheet for the sprinkler. Something tells me the existing heads aren't intended for this type of storage. Anything helps, thanks in advance! Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe The difference between "Should" and "Shall" statements is clearly understood by most of us.
How about "Shall be permitted" (for instance NFPA 13, 2019 9.3.2.2)? Splitting frog of hairs but I'm guessing that it equates to "May be allowed"? How do you interpret this? Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe Can a floating dock standpipe with hose valves in the ocean be ran with PVC pipe?
NFPA 307 doesn’t go into detail about materials used but reverts back to NFPA 20, 22 and 24. This is in Florida. The AHJ wants it full of water so I have to issues, it’s too heavy to mount on the side of the dock, it’s not very big and it will be in the water or very close with high tide, so corrosion is inevitable. Is there anything stating Schedule 40 or 80 PVC is listed or acceptable for such use? Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe Thanks to all the great discussion this past month. Here's our Top Ten Contributors for February 2024:
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