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I have an ESFR-protected warehouse. The General Contractor is putting in offices with grid ceiling. A full-height demising wall separates the warehouse from the newly constructed office space. Heads are being dropped from the branchlines at deck height to the new grid ceiling.
Are the ESFR sprinklers above the new office ceiling required to be plugged by code, or can they remain in place? Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe
6 Comments
Pete H
1/23/2026 07:04:24 am
As long as the system can still support them in a calculation and the main was not altered: yes, they may remain.
Anthony
1/23/2026 08:29:56 am
I agree with Pete here. This is an acceptable arrangement and VE arrangement.
Glenn Berger
1/23/2026 08:26:29 am
MAYBE!
D
1/23/2026 08:49:33 am
It is also important to verify what the roof deck is constructed with- metal or wood? In my area if the roof deck is metal then the entire space is non combustible, but the heads still remain installed for future simplicity. If wood then combustible and heads must remain. Either way though, ESFR sprinklers are allowed to be used in light and ordinary hazard occupancies provided they are installed correctly. If the area above the office is not used for storage then it is likely ordinary hazard. If all of this is true in your situation, i can't see any reason to take the ESFR sprinklers out.
Chad
1/23/2026 09:42:12 am
The only drawback is they need to be maintained and tested or replaced after 20 years. IF they are lets say 19 years, now you may have to take a sample or replace them all next year... that might be a pain but its not a big deal.
Jack G
1/23/2026 10:33:36 am
The ESFR sprinklers in the dead space above the dropped ceiling should be a higher temperature than the ceiling sprinklers ( like 212 f above, 135 or 155 f below) so they don’t operate at the same time . ( I.e. how many below sprinklers operating would it take to affect the ESFR calc ? ) Leave a Reply. |
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