Suppose on-site water storage for firefighting is required, and an existing tank is on-site sized for the existing building.

Can I add a second tank on site (not connected to the first tank) and just size it for the additional water required for the second building?

Ex. A larger building requires a 10,000-gallon tank, while a smaller building requires a 5,000-gallon tank. Can I just install one new 5,000-gallon tank (10,000-5,000 = 5,000 gallons)?

Or would the tanks need to be connected so there is no shortage of water?

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We have a storage building that is non-sprinklered, it only has fire alarm. The ceiling height in some areas of the building with storage of tires is up to 10-ft in height, and others up to 15-ft in height.

How many tires can be stored?

Is there a limit to the amount of storage?

Does storing on tread or on side matter?

Thanks in advance.

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I’m wondering if you can help me on this one.

​I have a project with the detail below referencing the use of the U419 listed assembly, but with the drywall only on one side of the assembly. 

I asked for verification that the U419 assembly would permit this and he provided me with the attachment referencing section 5A. I don’t believe that was the intent for section 5A of the listing, but I can’t figure out what the actual intent is.

Is drywall on only one side of the assembly here correct?

Is it allowed anywhere?

It is something that has come up since there is a V497 listed assembly that puts both layers of drywall on one side of the wall, but my understanding has always been that it was used only on the interior side of exterior walls required only to be rated from the inside (IBC Section 705.5).

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated. I appreciate your help.

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Would it be possible to replace a Kennedy K-10 dry barrel fire hydrant with a wet barrel fire hydrant if the main valve of the K-10 was left open, and a wet barrel hydrant was then bolted to the standpipe base?

We're in southern California, so we commonly have wet barrel hydrants in the area. Replacing with a wet barrel means we wouldn't have to excavate. 

The main reason I see is that the drain holes would be left open if the dry barrel main valve is removed. We have been unable to find new main valves for Kennedy K-10 hydrants. Your comments would be greatly appreciated.

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Fighting with myself this morning on whether interior horn/strobes are required for a project going on in my jurisdiction.

It's a 14,000 sqft tenant space in a sprinklered strip mall. The landlord fire alarm panel only monitors sprinkler system and three duct detectors.

Under the 2018 IBC / IFC, no manual fire alarm system is required. Section 907.2.7.1 adds confusion for me regarding occupant notification. It allows an exception for a constantly attended locations to provide instructions in the event of alarm activation from manual pull OR waterflow.

Given no constantly attended location exists, would the sprinkler system in this case require interior horn/strobes within the tenant space?

The exterior bell is on the rear of the building with a landlord maintenance space in-between.

If there was a sprinkler flow in the adjacent tenant space, how would the space in question be notified to evacuate?

The architect on the project feels nothing is required inside the space. Maybe I'm taking a common sense approach to this but want to be sure I have code to back me up in requiring interior occupant notification. This is for a discount retail tenant.

​Thanks in advance.

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The local fire department wants us to document that a facility provides the minimum fire flow for their outdoor mulch storage piles.

I can't find any NFPA requirements for wood chip or mulch storage; only setback distances.

Anyone have input on how to establish minimum Fire Flow for outdoor storage like this?

Thanks in advance.

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Does the IFC or NFPA standard dictate if a old system has to brought up to code if a new permit has been issued for a tenant improvement?

For example adding 5 flex drops to an existing system? Seismic , hanger support are the issue. Thanks in advance.

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Long question - in essence - is Fire Flow considered on top of a flowing sprinkler system?

Recently there was a great discussion on the forum here about whether a water storage tank size needs to include Fire Flow in addition to sprinkler demand. There were some great points made (www.meyerfire.com/daily/must-water-storage-tank-include-site-fire-flow).

I have just come upon a project where we do have a municipal water supply, but it tapers off very steeply. The flow test in the area was 52 psi static, 25 psi residual at only 650 gpm. This would put the available Fire Flow around 712 gpm at 20 psi for the site.

In order for the AHJ to reduce the required Fire Flow under the IFC, the building(s) nearby need to be sprinkler-protected. This would bring down the Fire Flow requirement to 1,000 gpm at 2-hours, for this setup. The sprinkler system isn't designed yet, but we'd estimate around a 550-650 gpm demand with a fire pump. This gets really interesting based on the prior discussion.


When the fire department shows up on site during a fire, and then starts to pull water, is this Fire Flow in addition to the flowing sprinkler system, or considered separate?

In other words, is the 1,000 gpm (for 2 hours) for Fire Flow on top of a 600 gpm demand for sprinkler (for 60 minutes)?


If the water storage tank needs to meet the demand of the sprinkler and Fire Flow separately, then the calculation comes down to ~300 gpm needed to fill the shortage on Fire Flow, multiplied by 2-hours. That's a tank in the ballpark of 35-40,000 gallons.

If the water storage tank needs to meet the Fire Flow as the sprinkler system is operating, that's a flow of around 1,600 gpm to fight a fire. That's as much as ~900 gpm x 2 hours to a ballpark of 100-115,000 gallons. Huge difference.


I can't find any relevant code that stipulates one way or another, only that the tank must supply the sources it is connected to. 

Am I looking at this correctly? I see sprinkler and Fire Flow needing to be met by a tank that they're connected to, but is the Fire Flow robbing the sprinkler system, or vice-versa?

Thanks so much for reading. This is obviously TLTHFR (too long, thank-you-for-reading).

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We have a 3-family building with parking garage and three floors over parking for a total of four floors.

According to the IBC, a standpipe is required; my question is - is the standpipe required in all stairs?

We have two stars which are less than 30-feet between the stairs. 

Thanks in advance.

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Our customer stores pieces of metal u-channel strut and all thread rod that are stacked on steel cantilever racks. There are no pallets. Packaging is by wrapping of steel bands. Everything is non-combustible.

Since the commodity is non-combustible, Table 435.5.1 for high piled racking does not apply, correct?

It seems to apply only to combustible commodities. Therefore the 12-foot high limitation triggering high-pile storage requirements would not apply, right?

We hope to avoid the requirements of Table 435.5.1 since the building does not meet the fire department access door requirements even though it does meet the requirements for automatic sprinklers as well as smoke and heat removal.

I can't find a code section to cite to AHJ for what is not required on non-combustible commodities. Like proving a negative. Any suggestions would be appreciated!

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Architect here with a fire code question. We have a fully sprinklered building (ESFR), of Type II-B, tilt concrete construction.

The fire pump room is located on an exterior wall, and the only door into the pump room is from the exterior. We have 1-hr rated construction separating the fire pump room from the rest of the building.

The fire marshal is telling us that the exterior wall and door also have to be rated. I responded by pointing out the fire pump is required to be protected from the surrounding building, and that it does not need to be protected from the exterior, so exterior wall and door should not have to be rated.

Fire marshal disagrees and pointed to NFPA 20 4.14.1.1.2. That section does not specifically state that separation is required from the rest of the building, although Section 4.14.1.1.1 right before it does make that distinction, just like IBC/IFC do.

We have solid concrete walls that are inherently fire rated construction, so typically I would just say ok and label them rated. The issue is we are required to have ventilation in the pump room per NFPA 20, so we have a makeup air louver in the exterior wall. If we rate the wall, then my understanding is we will have to put a fire/smoke damper on that louver, which is added cost and unnecessary in my opinion.

Is your understanding that all walls have to be rated as the fire marshal is saying, or just the walls between pump room and rest of building?

I've done many buildings of this type in multiple states and this is the first time I've been told this. I'd appreciate your insight, thanks.

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Four-story office building wants to shut down five large air handlers nightly. Purpose is to lower energy costs when building is unoccupied. This will cause all fire/smoke dampers (FSDs) to close (the smoke detectors in return ducts need minimum operational air velocity).

The FSDs are mostly original from 1985-1988. Only UL tested for 5000 cycles and no dynamic.

I cannot find a code reference to prohibit this and believe that the FSDs are already near the end of their functional lifespan. Many have been replaced due to bad actuators, binding jack shafts and missing blades.

Anyone know of a code reference to prohibit this use or when a FSD must be replaced?

Thanks in advance.

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We have a multistory hotel building with the rooms opening to an exterior corridor. There is Exterior Insulation Finish System (EIFS) along the walls of the exterior corridor.

NFPA 13 (2022), Section 9.2.3.3 allows omission of sprinklers from exterior exit corridors where the exterior wall of the corridor is at least 50% open and where the corridor is entirely of noncombustible construction.

It seems from research that EIFS is considered combustible and would require sprinkler protection along the exterior corridor.

Has anyone done more research on this or has this come up before for other projects with EIFS in the exterior corridors and ultimately required sprinkler protection?

​Thanks in advance.

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My community has a number of fire pump pressurized fire loop systems that include private fire hydrants.

These facilities are large industrial structures and require pressures in excess of 200 psi for their sprinkler systems. The hydrants are needed to provide water access within code required distances.

To avoid injury to fire personnel and damage to our pumper trucks, is it possible to decrease the fire pump pressure to a manageable pressure once we have arrived on site and assessed the situation?

This would allow us to operate normally while the existing sprinklers, though not at full discharge, are still adding water to the situation.

I am looking for solutions that don't involve millions of dollars or running hose for a quarter mile or more.

Thanks in advance.

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I'm working with a city inspector who is adamant that we add a second non-rising stem valve (NRS) in the fire sprinkler service main just before the building. The first valve being in the street at the live-tap location with the roadway box.

Is a valve required on the service main before the building?

The requested location would place the valve under the sidewalk, accessible by T-handle wrench only, prohibiting reliable supervision of any kind.

I can't seem to find any language in NFPA 24 that I can use to argue against the second unsupervised valve. I don't see any value in the position the inspector has taken and requested a copy of the city ordinance requiring the additional valve.

Installing the second valve wouldn't be a huge deal but certainly seems like an unnecessary opportunity for an unsupervised valve to get closed or fail. I would like to hear what others in this community think and if anyone has something to offer.

Thanks in advance.

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From a firefighting perspective, I'm looking at determining how to calculate flow and pressure needs with hose lines. 

How much water can flow through 6-inch Yellow Storz hose line? Is there a psi associated with it?

How much water can flow through 8-inch Yellow Storz hose line? Is there a psi associated with it?

Thanks in advance.

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