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On a combination Class I standpipe/sprinkler riser with automatic standpipes, what is your process to determine exactly where pressure reducing valves should be used?
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I am looking for some options on the following and if anyone has code to backup reasons. We have a facility that produces plastic pallets. Some pallets are reinforced and some are not.
They want to store to pallets to 18 feet high before loading them on trucks. The question being should the facility be protected using NFPA 13 (2016) Section 12.12 dealing with idle pallets or just use Group A plastics in piles? Posted anonymously for discussion. Discuss This | Submit Your Question | Subscribe Got a question regarding sprinkler protection above hung ceilings. NFPA-13 states that sprinkler protection is NOT required above hung ceilings if the area above has non-combustibles even with small openings in the ceiling.
However, I seem to recall a requirement that if there are large openings in the hung ceiling, sprinklers are required above the ceiling, but only for a certain distance in from the edge of the opening. Thoughts on what section provides that distance? Posted anonymously for discussion. Discuss This | Submit Your Question | Subscribe NFPA 13 (2016 Edition) Section 8.5.5.3 requires sprinklers to be installed underneath fixed obstructions over 4ft (48") in width and provides no further information on how that 4ft width is determined to be an obstruction. For most situations this is rather straightforward, but the open ended 4ft wide requirement leaves quite a few obstructions up to interpretation.
With that being said, how is it determined that an obstruction such as a duct, can be considered unobstructed if it is 40" wide by 6ft long, but if it is 48" wide by 3ft long, it is considered an obstruction? How is the obstruction rule only applied to the width of a piece of equipment and in turn is not applied to the length? Is there a ratio or rule of thumb that is widely used to determine whether an item hanging below the ceiling is considered to violate the 4ft rule? Posted anonymously for discussion. Discuss This | Submit Your Question | Subscribe Are there special requirements for fire alarm strobes on the exterior parts of the building (courtyards, etc)? Thinking that direct sunlight may interfere with the strobe.
Posted anonymously for discussion. Discuss This | Submit Your Question | Subscribe I know a material (with a certain published flame spread index and smoke development index).
How I can determine if it is suitable for a building? Specifically, how can I determine which types of buildings it would be suitable for (apartments, industrial, educational, etc.)? Posted anonymously for discussion. Discuss This | Submit Your Question | Subscribe This might seem a silly question, but most folk, even sprinkler manufacturer's tech support, don’t know what PE stands for. Can you please set me straight? Why not FPE?
Posted anonymously for discussion. Discuss This | Submit Your Question | Subscribe I do inspections for fire alarm systems. It's not something that is brought up often and is generally not an issue, but I am trying to educate myself on what the correct procedure is to determine the conduit size for fire alarm.
Could someone point me in the right direction? Thanks in advance. Posted anonymously for discussion. Discuss This | Submit Your Question | Subscribe I just got one in to review where the designer used the Room Design method for am NFPA 13 retirement home corridor, but did not use the Corridor 5-sprinkler provision. He was considering the corridor the "room", but really didn't even include the entire corridor. I think I can help him out by directing him to the 5-sprinkler corridor methods (opening protection doesn't even come into play). It is a corridor protected by a single row, BUT another corridor tees off it at 90-degrees.
Do these "tee" intersections negate the "single row" provision? Each leg IS protected by a single row so I'm thinking this does not negate the intent. Thoughts? Posted anonymously for discussion. Discuss This | Submit Your Question | Subscribe Has anyone dealt with a building structure comprised of steel hexagonal castellated beams spaced 36" apart with a wood plank deck?
Would this be considered obstructed combustible construction? Also, has anyone seen a combustible concealed space head which is "listed" for such structure? Posted anonymously for discussion. Discuss This | Submit Your Question | Subscribe When doing zone of influence calculations, NFPA 13 doesn't seem to be specific about whether the weight of drops and sprigs should be included in the weight of the branch line tributary to the lateral brace on the cross main. It states "The zone of influence for lateral braces shall include all branch lines and mains tributary to the brace, except branch lines that are provided with longitudinal bracing or as prohibited by 9.3.5.9.6.1" (NFPA 13, 2016 Edition, Section 9.3.5.9.6)
This ambiguity is frustrating because long drops are quite heavy and can double the weight in the calculation if they are included. It seems like some argument could be made that they aren't "tributary" to the lateral load because they can "swing" independently, but should their influence be considered negligible? Posted anonymously for discussion. Discuss This | Submit Your Question | Subscribe Do all rated walls (fire partition, fire barrier, fire wall) need to run to the floor deck or roof to the next story above?
Is there any scenario where we can put a rated lid and not continue the rated partition or fire barrier up to the deck above? This project is under IBC 2015, but I'm just looking for guidance on where I can get this answered in the future. Thanks in advance. Posted anonymously for discussion. Discuss This | Submit Your Question | Subscribe Can someone explain the process for determining if a standpipe system needs to be designed for seismic considerations?
Posted anonymously for discussion. Discuss This | Submit Your Question | Subscribe We have 2x4 wood studs which are spaced 16-inches on center. There's a layer of 3/8" gypsum board on each side, plus on one side there's 1 layer of 3/8" plywood (douglas fir).
How do I determine the fire resistance rating of this partition assembly? Posted anonymously for discussion. Discuss This | Submit Your Question | Subscribe One of our client requires fire resistance paint for cables in cable cellar, fire stops and fire door.
Can anyone suggest me which code or standard to be referred for designing these passive fire protection systems? Posted anonymously for discussion. Discuss This | Submit Your Question | Subscribe Looking for guidance on pressure gauge selection. Is there a requirement for a maximum pressure gauge for testing residual pressures of 40-50 psi on suppression systems?
Wondering if any pressure gauge is adequate or if there's specific guidance I should be following on gauge selection. Posted anonymously for discussion. Discuss This | Submit Your Question | Subscribe Clearance around fire sprinklers - NFPA 13 (2016) addresses clearance around sprinklers in 9.3.4.11, A.9.3.4.11, and 9.3.4.11.1. The language is very vague & ambiguous. Could anyone elaborate on this for me?
What type of ceilings needs to have clearance around fire sprinklers when using hard pipe (not flex drops)? Posted anonymously for discussion. Discuss This | Submit Your Question | Subscribe Does anyone have any experience with determining an appropriate design criteria for protecting rectangular hay bales stacked to about 20 ft. in a 25-30 ft. metal purlin building?
Posted anonymously for discussion. Discuss This | Submit Your Question | Subscribe Can we use CPVC pipe material for the inspector's test and main drain?
Posted anonymously for discussion. Discuss This | Submit Your Question | Subscribe I have a 2-hour fire rated barrier and need to choose code-compliant firestop. The firestop has different ratings (F, T, and L) - which is applicable?
Posted anonymously for discussion. Discuss This | Submit Your Question | Subscribe Thanks to the people who continue to make this community an excellent resource for fire protection professionals. Here's to the top commenters for October 2019:
When testing a fire pump from the roof is there a calculation that is necessary to ensure that the flow test is accurate (given pipe sizes, elevation increase, etc)?
NFPA 25, 2014 handbook states that flowing from the roof in the explanatory material is somewhat acceptable (NFPA 25, 2014: 8.3.3.1.3). However, NFPA 20, 2013 A.4.20.3.4(2) has a sample hydraulic calculation sheet for sizing the test header when not using the table which appears to take into account items like friction loss, elevation, etc. Posted anonymously for discussion. Discuss This | Submit Your Question | Subscribe |
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